《Aiming to be the perfect butler for my lady》 Chapter 1- Awakening Chapter 1- Awakening ''Where a-ugh! '' My heart was hurting like it had me stuck to the corner of a tile and my body was aching even worse than that. Thest thing I remembered was choking myself on my favorite food and the second thing I could experience was this unbearable pain. ''Agh...it hurts...'' I slowly tried opening my eyes only to find great darkness around me. It was like I was dragged inside a basement akin to an abyss. I wasn''t able to move my limbs for some reason and from the height my eyes were watching my surroundings, I could tell that someone had hung me up. Slowly I regained the sensation in my legs and arms and undoubtedly, I could tell that the same someone had tied my arms over my shoulders, and my ankles were tied together as well. My long hair was making it difficult to... Wait, long hair? ''When did my hair grow this much?'' I have never tried growing my hair since the school decorum prohibited such fashion amongst boys. But at that moment I could see my hair falling down my nose, almost touching my lips. Not only that, this thinly lit room¡ªwhich had only a candle as the source of illumination¡ªwas also unknown to me. "Was I kidnapped...? " This was the most basic assumption I could have made since a strange ce and having limbs restricted were the signs of what I have seen in numerous movies. ''But who would abduct an orphan... '' All this internal contemtion and monologue was to distract my mind from the excruciating pain I was feeling all over my body. I looked at my body and found I was half-naked with the shape of ribs carved on my skin, indicating my malnutrition. It might have surprised me if I hadn''t been so distracted by something else. ''Why there are so many marks... '' A chill ran down my spine as I witnessed the numerous marks of ckish-blue bruises all over my bare skin like someone had a wild time whipping the life out of me. My body began shivering at the thought of what would happen if the person who had done this to me walked back into the room. I nced at the only door present inside the room but fortunately, there was no sounding from the other side. Without waiting I began to pull my binds as hard as I could....but it was my biggest mistake. *Rumble* "AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!" Bolts of lightning passed down from my toes to my scalp as even greater burning pain ran all over. It felt like my world was dyed white and bones screaming in pain. I iled like a fish as the current continued passing each tissue of my body. My arms and legs vibrated heavily by the sensation and before I could know, I fell unconscious. **** In the small storage room where the teenage boy could be seen currently with his head hung low and body lifeless, suddenly two new appearances walked in the gate. These two men were wearing red and ck uniforms with high-waist ck pants that reached their stomachs and red coats and ck shirts over their shoulders. There was a formal military cap with the sign of an emblem, just like the one on their chest. The two men were having a casual chat amongst themselves in a differentnguage than the one in which the boy was mumbling to him some moments ago. "Did he try escaping once again even after knowing the consequences? Well, it''s a shame that we didn''t get to witness the fun scene..." The blond soldier spoke up with a sigh like torturing a young child was nothing to feel pity about. The grin he wore while gazing at the fallen teenager was something one could only feel disgusted about. "Then let''s wake him and see where this goes." The other brown-haired and dark-skinned spoke with a malicious grin before he began unzipping his pants. "Lower the bars for me..." Hearing the fellow guard''s call, the blond soldier shook his head without even trying to hide his amusement before he pushed a liver beside the fainted boy and brought his body lower until it didn''t reach the crotch level of the tanned soldier. *SPURT* *CRACKLE* The boy suddenly shot his eyes wide awake upon feeling the moist sensation over his face. The dormant electricity inside his body once again surfaced and the small room once again heard the cries of agony arising from the boy. The prisoner didn''t even notice how the soldier was pissing over his face with a sinister grin since the pain coursing across his body was making it difficult for him to remain awake any longer. "Just shut up already!" Hearing the boy''s scream made the blond soldier annoyed as he kicked the prisoner''s face with the heel of his shoe after his partner was done unloading his bowels. "Khak!" The boy spat in pain as he felt his nose being disfigured with that blow. And it didn''t stop there as the boy felt his limbs being pulled apart with the chains his body was bound with. The tanned soldier used the liver to bring the boy back in position before he balled his fist, kissed the knuckle, and mmed it hard into the prisoner''s torso. "GHUAKKK! " The boy, who was struggling hard to maintain his consciousness, felt his ribs breaking with that blow which was absurd in every way. But the misery restricted his rationality to thinking anything properly. The beating didn''t stop there as the blond soon began to p and punch the boy in the face while spouting something that the boy was unable to understand. But from the tone of it, it seemed this soldier was extremely agitated about something Stabbing knees in his torso, punching his, poking fingers into his eyes until the point where the boy was unable to see anything, and pulling his nose until it didn''t bleed... "Ah~It feels great to bash a pretty face... " The blond soldier sighed as he wiped his bloodied hand which of course didn''t belong to him, with a handkerchief. The tanned soldier soon also got done beating the boy who was reduced down to an almost lifeless corpse who was hanging with a single slim thread of vitality by now. His face was all bruised up. Eyes blinded, ear sliced, nose pulled from inside out, and hair pulled out from ces making the boy who had beautiful silver hair previously, nearly bald. His limbs were broken, ribs torn and blood seeping from different corners of his body. If anything was keeping the boy alive was a hope...a hope that he would soon wake up and find this the worst nightmare of his life. However, he never woke up that night rather a fairy appeared in this nightmarish time and saved the boy from his misery atst. "What in the world they did with you.... " ****** A/N: - I hope you guys like this work of mine as well. Chapter 2- Realize Chapter 2- Realize It has been three days since I found myself in this prison lock. My body and mind were broken yet I haven''t got a single clue about my whereabouts or how I ended up here in the first ce. I was just a normal high-school Japanese guy who had normal hobbies without any solid background worth getting abducted in greed for something valuable. ''Then why.... '' My blurry eyes let out streams of tears once again, staining this transfigured face of mine which has been swollen and bruised at every corner. I could no longer smell or see anything properly. My insides were bleeding and I never assumed someone would be able to feel the rush of blood flowing downward like that. My head was hurting like I had been thrashed into a concrete pipe repeatedly. I did try asking the two men who were periodically beating me while shouting in an iprehensiblenguage but nothing they said made any sense so I was pretty much wrecked up. ''I don''t even know how to bite my tongue and kill myself... '' I did try but failed miserably. The stinging sensation didn''t allow me to move much either. For some reason despite not having drank a single drop of water or eaten food even once haven''t made me go insane at all. But the pain was doing that job to drive me into insanity. ''Am I really gonna die here... '' I didn''t have many dreams in my life...just wanted to graduate from a good college, get a job, and make a happy family. I have starved for love and affection so I just wanted to have at least a lover in my life on whom I could dote upon and receive some love from her as well. Some said I was being overly dramatic for someone in high school but that''s how my life was. And now, everything was just a baseless yearning and unreasonable goals since from what I could sense, I would not be able to ovee another round of beating from those two monsters. Resistance was futile. The hope to escape from this prison was nothing short of impossible. In short, there was nothing I could do other than let the next sleep tempt me into eternal slumber. I might have regrets just based on my wish to love someone, but I couldn''t do anything about it. *Clink* The eerie sound of the door cracking resonated and made my body tremble subconsciously. They were here. *** "Haha...this fucker still lives...how fortunate. " The blond sarcastically spoke as he watched the teenage boy hanging on the chains like always but the fresh streams of tears made it obvious that the prisoner was alive and ready to be bashed once again. "Good...I wanted to vent somewhere..." The tanned man grinned as the irritation he carried because of his yapping wife was finally going to be spent here. "Should I go first, then?" The tanned man asked, to which the blond said, "Be my guest. " The burly man clenched his fist and reeled it back, aiming for the already disoriented face of the kid before heunched the strike at a furious pace. But... His punch nevernded. "What in the world is going on here?!" The angry voice of ady resonated heavily in the room before the two guards turned to look at the entranceway. Their faces went pale and their eyes turned dark witnessing thedy in person for the first time. "M-My l-" It was thest syble the blond soldier was able to utter before he found his insides freezing and fingers being frostbitten. His limbs, intestine, heart, liver, and every part of his body soon froze into solid ice. Like a human sculpture was created in real-time, the blond man''s existence ceased right there and then. Witnessing the horrifying scene and already aware of how powerless he was in front of thedy, the tanned man dropped to the ground with his head bashed on the surface. "Have mercy, mydy! We were just interrogating the bastard who dared harm the youngdy!" These two soldiers were informed yesterday that thedy had woken up and provided a statement. And ording to that statement, the boy should have been released the day before. However, these two were having so much fun beating the crap out of the boy that they reported a missing case of the prisoner and kept him locked up here to satiate their anger and frustration. But now that thedy herself has arrived at the scene... "B-Bastard...care to tell me whom you dared call a bastard?" The tanned man felt his limbs trembling at the chilly tone of thedy and realized how he have screwed up his only chance. He knew there was no escape so conjuring his best attack and fortifying his fist, he jumped on his feet to attack the young woman....only to realize she wasn''t there at all. And the thing that awaited him was thick ice pincers thatunched themselves at the tanned man with an unimaginable force. In mere seconds the two soldiers who had tortured the prisoner¡ªnow proven innocent¡ªwere shredded from their post and executed without a single remorse crossing the eyes of their executor. The said youngdy was currently standing in front of the broken boy who had lost consciousness at some point between the one-sided annihtion. "Mydy....you might get infecte-" The soldier, who had been waiting just outside the door of the cell room, called out to the young girl, only to find his voice choking in his throat when he received a death re from thedy. The soldier bowed his head in apology before he called for others to clean up the ''mess''. A single droplet of tear rolled down her cheek as she gazed at the young manying in herp as some words escaped her lips, ''Forgive me...Kyle.'' ****** ''Ah... '' My head began to throb once again but this time it wasn''t as bad as before. Subconsciously when I jerked my hand I found there was no resistance whatsoever. I slowly pulled my legs as well and found the same results?! "Are you awake now?" My eyes snapped open, and surprisingly I was able to see clearly as well but what made me most surprised was that in ce of a narrow dark cell, I was facing a bed canopy for some reason with white curtains around. I clutched my head and slowly turned to look at the person who had presumably saved me from those two demons. I heard her voice before faintingst time as well which provided the support to prove my hunch. However, the very moment my eyesnded on thedy my mind went nk and I felt the throbbing sensation in my head elevating. ''Princess tia?! Am I in a freakin game?!'' ****** A/N: - Drop ament if you liked the chapter~ Chapter 3- Anger Chapter 3- Anger The Fallen Angel was the name of the game I used to y a lot during my first year in high school. It was a new kind of RPG game with the element of romance and action added to it. At that time it gained incredible poprity amongst youngsters because of the defined character and how real the animation seemed. I had to change some specs of the PC to enjoy the game to the fullest and spending my money never felt better than that time. I was an avid fan of the game who yed it straight for half a year. Its main genre was romance and action so the character interaction and the tension built up never allowed the audience to get fed up with the dialogues and the action scenes were overpowered enough to keep virtual battle-junkies engaged. The main character, Logan was supposed to start his journey from the renowned academy of this empire which was administered and partially controlled by the central authority itself. Of course, the main character had a tragic past and was buffed with extraordinary powers to crush any obstacle thates in his way which also proved to be a hurdle for his growth. His primary goal in joining the Academy was to be stronger, gain a demon hunter license, and avenge his family who got ughtered by a high-ranking Demon General when Logan was three years old. The trauma helped him ignite the dormant powers and forced his awakening. When people generally awaken their skills and talent at the age of seven to eight, Logan had already gotten a hang of his newfound powers by the age of five and ughtered a group of low-ranking bandits by ident. Yes, by ident since the protagonist has a skill that allows him to wield such strength that he himself couldn''t control. Until he''s fighting evil forces in the face of demons or humans, Logan is practically an indestructible and invincible force of nature. And considering what dangers this world was crowded with, such a protagonist was much needed to maintain the bnce. Logan''s goal to join the academy other than bing stronger was to get a hold of his said powers as well. Thankfully he met many people who supported him at every difficult step of his life. Many heroinese to love the protagonist for different reasons and considering their distinctive nature and otherworldly beauty many people only y this game to hear their adorable voice and enjoy romance with them through the protagonist''s perspective. Amongst those heroines, there was one who fell for the main character after a long time in the story and was hailed as the Frost princess by many back in my previous world. Princess tia Triwin Valenchide. One of the main female leads who had her separate arc and back story and the person whom I was currently facing. "You seem to have recovered sooner than I expected. " Her violet eyes never left the parchment over which she was writing something probably important, as tia spoke to me in a borderline indifferent tone. If only I hadn''t regained the memories of this body I might have considered her rescuing me just out of obligation. "It''s all thanks to mydy. " I kept my head hung low as I spoke those words. My eyes roamed over the three-piece suit I currently was wearing which was considered a typical butler''s uniform in any day and age. Though I looked good in this attire, it doesn''t change my post in this mansion. I, Kyle, an ex-noble and childhood friend of tia was now her servant and was supposed to be a major antagonist in the future. Even though tia behaves indifferently with me or anyone else, she has a soft spot for everyone surrounding her. The reason why I was serving her despite being her friend emerges from the fact that my family was shredded down from the title of nobilities and when my father decided to sell me off to a ve trader, tia appeared out of nowhere and bought me in exchange of a thousand gold coins. Quite a hefty sum truth be told. In return, I was now bound with her for the rest of my life and after what she had done for me three days ago, I possibly couldn''t have thought of betraying her or running away from the female lead as well. I was sincerely gratified by what she had done for me. Not only did she rescue me from those two monsters but dropped them to their demise right at that instance. I received the intel from the Knightmander who was also present with tia at that time. tia tended to me for the whole three days without allowing any single person to enter the room. The precious Phoenix tears which take millions of gold coins to buy exhausted in my treatment, that kind of abuse my body and mind have suffered from. I couldn''t possibly express how thankful I was to thedy I serve. "Hmm...I was nning to take someone else as my personal attendant to the academy but now that you seem fine..." tia turned to look at me or to say, she was assessing me with those peculiar violet eyes she possesses. Those eyes weren''t just there for decoration or a part of her sense organs. Her eyes hold the ability to inspect the emotions¡ªthe people around her¡ªcarry for tia. When she advances in the story, her eyes allow her to gaze at the weak points of her opponent and even pry through any kind of obstruction or barrier. But at the moment, she could only ''see'' how one feels about her. She must have already categorized by now that the feelings I harbor for thedy were only limited to admiration and gratefulness, which must have given her the shade of greenish blue. tia has categorized the hue every person gives off into the feelings they carry for her. Like ck means hatred or desire to kill, red means anger, pink means love, and so on. Originally, Kyle was supposed to fall in love with tia after this massive event in his life or so what I remember was the case. It has already been two years so I might be miscing some of the things but this was a major turn point in Kyle''s life which made him slowly obsessed with hisdy. And in the end, Kyle''s jealousy toward Logan cost him his life. However, now that I have taken over, that surely wouldn''t going to happen. "Mydy, the carriage is prepared. " My trance was broken hearing the familiar voice of the head maid who came to inform tia. "Hmm." Humming she got up from her seat before I stepped aside and kept my head bowed in respect. I heard her steps walking past me and decided to take a single peak at her; out of curiosity nothing else. But when I turned my head I found tia in looking at me over her shoulder as well. I was startled to see her narrowed gaze before turning my eyes back to the ground. "....strange. " I might have imagined it but for some reason, I heard tia muttering something under her breath. Regardless, she finally walked out before I sighed in relief. ''Haah...she''s pretty observant... '' **** After walking out of her room, tia was still frowning slightly usual for her behavior. She wasn''t a person to bother thinking about needless topics like politics and such but the matter in hand she was presented with, made her entirely baffled. ''Does he no longer love me....but why?'' Her servant Kyle...his hue no longer contains the pink shade and tia was feeling uneasy about it for some reason. **** A/N: - Drop ament~ Chapter 4- Waver Chapter 4- Waver The only princess of the Valenchide Empire, Altaria was feeling a sense of trouble emerging from deep inside her heart. A girl, who has been treated like a ss doll since her birth and more so after her awakening, had nothing in her life that could bother her for long. She had been the perfect example of a dutiful daughter, a cherished sister to her siblings, and a relentless warrior in her own right. She never felt anything too extreme in her life, since her awakening provided her with the strength that far surpassed her peers and any other source of stress was always negated by her family members. She was not just a princess as in name...her parents and siblings did take care of her like she would melt if tia had to worry about something. That was the reason why when some days ago, she copsed after drinking the tea prepared by her butler, her father didn''t even think for a second before sending her childhood friend to prison. After all, Kyle takes care of most of the things rted to tia. After she woke up the next day she confessed how an overdose of potions caught up to her suddenly. Since the potion dissolves immediately with a person''s aura pores, the medic was also not able to discern what was wrong with her until tia confessed it herself. Upon learning of her butler Kyle''s disappearance, tia felt a disquiet in her heart for the first time. She wanted to see him, but word had it that Kyle had managed to escape from his confinement. For a fleeting moment, tia believed the news. Even though Kyle had been her childhood friend, she had consistently treated him as nothing more than a servant, especially after he lost his noble standing. She believed that her constant reminders of Kyle''s non-awakened status might have driven him to break free from his incarceration. But still, tia was troubled so she went to take a look by herself using her special eyes and investigated it with the help of Captain Steven without letting her father know about this. Ultimately, she discovered him held captive by two contemptible figures, whom tia promptly obliterated from existence. *** [Back to present] ''Was it because I arrivedte and he thinks I was allowing all that torture to incur on him...? '' tia couldn''t help but ask herself since, after that day, Kyle''s feelings toward her shifted entirely. And when today, she gazed at him and found there was no pink in his hue...she knew something was wrong. Every person harbors a hue or an aura around their body from which tia judges how they feel about her. Before this incident, Kyle used to carry a subtle red along with patches of pink around his body which showed that despite always being angry at her, he harbored romantic feelings for her. She could understand that he must be angry because after being brought down from the position of a Count''s son, Kyle was serving her as a mere servant. In his eyes, she was just hurting him even more than being disowned by his family. Although tia had a reason to behave in that way, she never tried justifying herself. But love? The subject always perplexed tia, especiallying from her childhood friend who was intimately familiar with her disposition and her views on matters of romance. But something changed recently...after this incident, Kyle''s shadepletely shifted. There was no red or pink but the shade of pure respect around his body which made her profoundly baffled. She could understand that he was thankful to her for saving his life and the angry patches disappeared because of that but..why there was no love in his aura? ''Is he now fed up with me...or did he realize how hopeless it was to fall for someone of my status?'' While it seemed the most likely scenario, their conversation this morning left her uneasy. He had seemed so...distant that tia couldn''t help but feel that he no longer saw her as a friend, but merely as his mistress. ''I mean it''s good that he no longer has feelings for me...but he won''t break our friendship right... '' Unbeknownst to herself, tia had covered the inside of the carriage with the frost she was conjuring subconsciously while thinking about a single person who had stirred so many feelings inside of her. **** [Kyle''s POV: ] ''Hmmm...I do look quite handsome... '' Silver hair with green eyes was a goodbination to have over a moderately slim but shredded body. Kyle was a fallen nobility so it was understandable why his features were so delicate and charming and now that I was that Kyle, I feel I havended a jackpot. ...only if I hadn''t such a bad route awaiting me. ''I am known to be a good-for-nothing butler of the renowned Frost Princess but... '' My eyes settled on the box stored in my room, securely locked within the cab beside my bed. It boasted threeyers of locks, and even the slightest misstep would incinerate its contents. Kyle or to say, I was an unawakened failure but in truth, after I failed to get any angelic powers, my previous self took it to heart and pursued dark magic...an ancient one at that to make these straw dolls. None are aware that I hold the souls of two ancient heroes, and in addition, I possess two spare vessels capable of containing other souls. These vessels grant me the ability to harness the power of a soul, but only if I have personally ended that individual''s life. In the story, it was never mentioned how Kyle got the souls of two ancient warriors stored in these creepy straw dolls which made him so overpowered. But well, whom I am going toin to when these straw dolls are going to be my greatest ally to survive in this world? *Dak* I closed the box since I had no intention to try out those powers as of now. I need to get ustomed to this new body of mine and help myself recall all those martial arts moves and weapon techniques the old Kyle has learned over years I was able to behave like a proper butler on instincts but I couldn''t continue like this in the long term. I need to sort out my memories and be one with this body. There are numerous things I need to do to ensure the safety of tia and prevent those things that only could prove hazardous to the plot afterward. Since the Academy would begin in eight months, I do have not much time remaining. ''Let''s get down with some physical exercises first... '' **** A/N: - Some PTSD shes and some leisure time for him to stabilize himself. Drop ament~ Chapter 5- Anger Chapter 5- Anger In this world very few...around one in every ten thousand people awaken their Heavenly trait. A set of skills that allow them to wield the powers of a true angel of the heavens. Angels and Devils have been rivaling to gain ultimate supremacy since ancient times. Those who were on the side of the devils weremonly known as demons and those on the side of purity and justice were being supported by the angels. Unlike Demons who could wield the powers of pure devil wholly, humans weren''t that capable and tolerant of angelic powers. That was why only specific body parts of Heavenly awakened people get transformed into a deity ss. Some individuals experience this divine transformation in their limbs, voice, and senses, among others. But wings... to manifest the wings of an angel is akin to acquiring a legacy of immense worth. Such wings are coveted treasures that many would risk their lives to possess. Individuals who awaken their angelic wings gain not only a plethora of abilities and the power of flight but are also believed to be true incarnations of celestial entities themselves. Nheless, many seek to manifest these heavenly wings primarily for the vast array of skills they bestow, and little else. No individual can manage more than two Heavenly traits, and those who bear two such attributes are considered prodigious among prodigies. Take tia, for instance, with her Unique Eyes and the ability to summon her two pairs of wings in critical moments. However, invoking these wings consumes the bulk of her energy. The number of wings determines one''s stature among others with simr awakenings. More wings signify greater authority and a stronger celestial aura. While a single pair of heavenly wings is a typical manifestation for the awakened, bearing two pairs is a rarity. Indeed, tia''s status as a heroine was well-deserved. Then what makes the hero, Logan, so special? While the prevailing belief was that there existed a limit to the number of Heavenly awakenings one could undergo, with two being the established maximum, Logan defied convention, possessing the constitution to endure more than just two awakenings. Yes, Logan''s whole body could morph into a Heavenly one and the pair of wings he possessed is four. Not only does he hold authority over the other heavenly awakeners but his range of skills was enough to make him an SS-rank demon hunter just after graduation¡ªa feat which only fingers countable amount of people have achieved. Although he could control his powers somehow as the story progresses it would take some time for him to awaken all theponents. In conclusion, it was an inescapable truth that Logan was destined to eclipse every mortal on this, emerging as the savior everyone yearned for. **** "Hup! " With a swing that created a small just which disappeared soon after, I rested my spear in my clutch while panting slightly because of the strenuous exercise I have been going through for long four hours now. I sprinted, somersaulted, leaped, stumbled, and exerted every effort to keep myself in motion. I aimed to recall the techniques Kyle had perfected over the years and to determine my current physical boundaries. ''I don''t feelpletely fatigued.... '' I have the sense of being tired of my previous life and this definitely wasn''t the limit of my body. I feel like I could go for another four hours yet it would only just provide me a good sleep at night, and nosting pain would be inflicted. ''Well, I should stop for today before tia arrives... '' She has instructed me to take it easy for some days that was why she didn''t take me with her shopping but.... ''Well, she wouldn''t know if I just walked back in and-'' My inner voice choked on a hard breath as I suddenly found a pair of violet eyes looking at me. But the most worrying factor was the emotion she held in them. Indifference. *Gulp* I didn''t know someone could be so domineering without behaving or saying anything in particr. I put down the spear on the weapon stand before making my way to thedy at a hastened pace. Thankfully I wore my shirt some moments ago or this would have been incredibly awkward for me. "Mydy...I apologize for not noticing you earlier." I stood at the ground level while tia stood on the stairs which led to the open training ground. She was looking down at me with an expression that said she was extremely displeased with something. And I didn''t have to think too deeply to discern what fouled her mood. "I see that you are working hard for the sake of being a perfect butler for me...but is it worth it, Kyle?" "Mydy?" I lifted my head to match her gaze as I asked in an uncertain tone, clearly not able toprehend what she meant. There was a sense of mockery that I felt her eyes held for me as thedy spoke, "I mean...how much you train yourself and be stronger, in the end, in front of an awakened you would crushed within moments. " Oh...so she meant it like that. Well, can''t me her since Kyle''s powers were something nobody knew about so in her eyes I must be looking like a weakling. I could have felt hurt hearing such things from the person whom my previous self had adorned so much, but someone who knows the reason for such behavior, I smiled before replying, "Even though I would prove to be useless in front of a superhuman...when ites to mydy, I at least could present myself as a meat shield and protect you as long as mydy allows me." It wasn''t a lie. After the favor she did for me and considering the emotions the old Kyle had for her, I now know that besides surviving in this world, I want to take care of her too. And I was happy with such a resolution of mine. tia''s expression shifted back to its usual demeanor. Any trace of mockery or indifference vanished in an instant, leaving only a neutral, unreadable gaze. "....why?" I saw her lips moving and a very thin voice reaching up to me but since I wasn''t able to understand it, I asked, "Pardon?" tia''s head hung low and her fist balled up suddenly before she nearly vented her frustration on me, "Why aren''t you getting angry at me?! You idiot! " And with that...she walked away. I was left speechless by the turn of events over which I never had control. She just came, vented, and wooosh..... ''...why is she behaving out of character all of a sudden? '' **** A/N: - Note that Kyle yed the game some years ago so he doesn''t remember the small details of every character. And don''t hate her based on her current behavior. She would go through character development sooner than you think. Drop ament~ Chapter 6- Failed? Chapter 6- Failed? I have taken some days for myself to get ustomed to my senses, physical abilities, and the magic aspect I now possess. In this world, there were four types of magical energy emerging from different sources. 1. Elemental: The very essence that derives from mother nature and the type of energy that is present in abundance on the. The four elements of mes, Aqua, Wind, and Nature. Elemental affinity is the mostmon awakening trait. 2. Spiritual: The diminutive entities inhabiting the world possess a proclivity to form contracts with individuals, indifferent to whether they lean towards good or evil. Spirits predominantly fall into three categories: those associated with healing attributes, regeneration, and the exceedingly rare ability of resurrection. There exists no established procedure to acquaint oneself with a spirit; instead, they select those they deem worthy of their attention. 3. Light: The blessing bestowed directly from the heavens endows a Light user with unwavering strength, a divine essence capable of purging darkness from existence and bestowing upon the awakened array of boundless skills. Among these, the most prevalent include Enhancement, healing, augmentation, and numerous others. Not only do Light attribute users represent the embodiment of celestial purity, but they also possess the limitless potential for unceasing growth. 4. Curse: The attribute of a demon or demonic beast inherits upon their birth is akin to the very essence that courses through their veins, defining their existence from the moment they open their eyes until their eventual demise. While there exists a formal procedure and ritual for non-demonic entities to harness Cursed energy, anyone from the human realm who willingly embraces the darkness bes a pariah, marked for a life sentence as a criminal. Spirits and elementse in gray, which means they could be wielded by Light and Darkness alike. However, none of these were in my grasp apart from these strange straw dolls. ''Haah...if someone catches me with this, my head would get separated in an instant...'' The only possible route to ensure my safety is to seek protection from tia. Since she was the precious daughter of the Emperor, only on her request would I get pardoned. That means I have to keep my rtionship good with mydy and support her as much as I can. ''Well, regardless she takes my side when timese or not... ''My unwavering dedication to serve tia has persisted since the moment herforting embrace enveloped me, rescuing me from the clutches of death''s impending darkness. Disregarding the needless thoughts, I looked at the vast forest and the creatures lurking within. I couldn''t sense Aura since I didn''t possess it, but the faint growling and asional rustle were enough to tell me the dangers that lurked within. Since the forest near the mansion was regrly cleared out, there wouldn''t be any beasts above rank C. However, even a rank C was dangerous for this inexperienced me. From the knowledge of my previous self, I could certainly discern a beast''s level visually, but I couldn''t sense them approaching nor if they have used any kind of skill to hide themselves. Unlike humans and demons, the beast on either side of the faction has their unique skills limited to each species. There certainly were some of them with camouge and invisibility skills. ''I need to be cautious... '' Drawing in a deep breath, I tightly gripped the staff within my hand, then plunged headlong into the foreboding density thaty ahead. **** [Third Person POV:] Kyle had a hard time remaining calm inside the wilderness since despite practicing his martial arts past few days, he still hadn''t faced any real threat until now. He indeed had his second doll, which he named ''Beta'' hanging at the side of his waist. This doll allows him to warp to a certain distance until he can think exactly of that spot and the surroundings. Kyle has engraved the image of his room back in the mansion deeply just in case. He could teleport to any point nearby until he could visually see it...but again, he hadn''t tested much of his powers topletely rely on them. "Ah...." Eximing, he held himself from falling, as his gaze traveled toward the straw doll attached to his hip. They wouldn''t detach themselves from him, because of the effect of sorcery added to the mix. The initial effect conceals the presence of the straw doll from anyone except Kyle, the craftsman behind these unique puppets. Furthermore, these dolls can be summoned at will by Kyle through a brief ritual. Lastly, he need not fret about the dolls dislodging, as they firmly affix themselves to his muscles beneath his clothing. As long as the point of attachment remains intact, Kyle maintains an unbroken connection to his source of supernatural powers. ''Still, it''s creeping how it sticks to my skin... '' Making his way forward, he noticed the air around the area was getting thicker by the second. The weather around this time of the year was hot and slightly humid, so these cold breezes seemed out of ce. ''If I am not wrong... it''s a Hazy-Akron." The six-horned mutated deer with a body cover of a rhino releases smog from its belly button to either hunt or escape from predators. Those with even an ounce of magical energy would have been influenced by the haze but not Kyle. He kept on advancing forward with his wooden staff raised in alert. He clearly knew that this creature was entrapping him, not the other way around. Kyle must be nothing but a quick easy feast in its eyes. Since this one was merely E-ranked, the second lowest on thedder, Kyle was confident to dispatch the beast using his ''Primary'' straw doll within seconds. *Rustle* Navigating through the rustling, dried leaves strewn across the forest floor and the dense, sinewy branches that sprawled overhead, Kyle felt his heart quicken with unease. His blood surged through his veins like a torrent, and beads of sweat drenched his back, but he remained unwavering on his journey toward his inaugural hunt. Soon a figure emerged near the big tall trees, currently resting against the branch, in an eased manner. However, even the dazed manner of the beast did not help Kyle calm down at all. "Isn''t that a D-rank Breboar?" The mutation of a grizzly bear and boar which gave origination to this wild beast which tends to mark their territory and live a predator''s life throughout its lifetime. The reason this bear was present here in ce of Hazy-Akron meant that the deer actually was running away from this beast, not nning to advance on Kyle. ''I should retreat...I am not prepared for something like this...'' Since the boar head was still sleeping, Kyle took steps back with his heart now leaping in beats. Having recently endured that harrowing experience, he was all too familiar with the sensation of confronting death head-on. Just as he was preparing to turn and run, he noticed something approaching rapidly from behind. Before Kyle could dodge or teleport, the massive deer rammed into him, striking him squarely in the chest. "Guh!" A loud groan escaped his throat as his body was thrown meters away before he crashed into something fluffy....something alive. Yeah, Kyle was fucked. **** A/N:- Drop ament~ Chapter 7—8- Replacement? Chapter 7¡ª8- Recement? I was back in my room. There was no way I could have handled that bear all by myself. I had no prior experience on the battlefield nor in my previous life, had I had any incident where I had to deal with blood. Well of course, except for that night at my girlfriend''s ce. ''Focus Kyle...focus...'' pping my cheeks, I brought myself back on track as I looked at the reflection in the mirror and contemted. "Alright, so the teleportation doll indeed brings me anywhere I have kept a mental image of..." The doll worked fine or I might have died by now, in the clutches of that massive monster. It didn''t feel physically straining when I teleported...or maybe I was too terrified to notice. Regardless, it didn''t take more than half a second before my eyes opened inside my room. The effect of teleportation kicked in after some time when I felt my eyes darkening for a bit and my body bing a little weaker than before. ''So this is what it''s called to borrow the power of a big shot...'' Kyle wasn''t originally awakened so he couldn''t channel mana, naturally. However, because of these dolls, he could possess something akin to mutated energy which wasprised of both, Light and Dark. The energy radiating from the straw dolls was clearly Light magic however, to allow my body to absorb the magic the ritual I performed to create these artifacts, changed the magical essence into a versatile one that I could easily assimte. And from where do these Dolls absorb magical essence? Simple. From environment. And since there''s an infinite amount of magical energy widespread across the in, I would never run out of energy. ''But how far can I use my skills....'' It was given that I couldn''t wield both skills at the same time since my body wasn''t capable but how far this body of mine could push itself to keep on utilizing the skills one after another? In this world, people create their own magic however, I couldn''t do that. But inpensation this strange body of mine possesses sockets. Yeah, sockets. Imagine, this environment is an electricity power nt, and this body of mine an appliance. Now, what connects a source and a user? Wires and sockets. In my case, these sockets or magical conductors if you may say, decide how much and for how long I can borrow the skills from the dolls. Up until now, I had only unlocked two Sockets and there are more to go, I know it. If my calctions based on my memories are correct then with my current capabilities at best, I could teleport long distances for eight times and short distances for twenty. I can use my primary doll to chant one or two circled spells for than a dozen times but any more than that is still a mystery for me. These Sockets were like an awakening. The first one awakened when I was born. The second one, was when I was brought into the face of death in that cell room. ''I guess the method of awakening doesn''t repeat...'' If being near death would have been the answer then after almost being hugged by that bear to death, I should have unlocked my third Socket. But s... ''Well, I haven''t reached the maximum capability of my second socket yet...'' Since I had this awakening recently, I didn''t have much time to train my physical aspect or practice magical capabilities much. ''And I went into that jungle...'' Smiling at my foolishness, I took hold of my Beta doll before rolling my shirt and nting it only chest. Thankfully, it didn''t fall off even though I moved like a wheel when that bastard deer struck me. ''I am surely gonna turn that guy into skewers...'' I remember that mutated deer''s identity because of a peculiar scratch over its left eye so I wouldn''t have a problem hunting that particr animal down when I go back into the jungle. However, for now... ''I should train...'' ------------- It has been ten days since I properly woke up in this world and found myself in the body of a major antagonist. For the past few days, I have been working on my techniques and body-mind coordination to the fullest. Before any big journey, I needed to prepare myself first. Certain incidents left me deeply unsettled, and on asion, anxiety would surge, leading me to hyperventte unexpectedly. The torment I endured in that cell was inhuman. Had it not been for tia''s intervention, I might have sought vengeance on those vile bastards once I regained my strength. Setting that aside, regarding my magical abilities: I''ve attempted to harness my supernatural essence. To my surprise, channeling the powers of the ancient ones proved rather effortless. The me Witch of Cmity allows me the strength to conjure up to four-circled spells. In this world, the more number of circles meant the more deadly the attack would be. A single circle indicated that an enhanced individual could sustain injury, while a non-awakened might face lethal consequences. Spells with two circles had the potency to harm a cluster of non-awakened foes, and when focused on a singr superhuman, the concentrated force of the magic could potentially be lethal. Three circles would be enough to destroy the buildings and take on a small battalion by oneself. Four circles could plummet a fort. And five circles could erase the existence of a small town. That was how the spell circles majorly worked. Very few individuals could reach the five-circle phase and beyond that was only possible for fingers countable singrities. Like the headmaster of the Academy where the plot would begin for real. The second straw doll allowed me to warp to a certain distance and provided me with a very thin control of gravity as well. Thanks to the Ancient Witch of Mischief, I could quickly reach the ce I wanted to visit before the academy began. ''I at least need to prevent two situations before it''s toote... '' These two individuals were set to cross paths with Logan at the Academy, and they held the key to offering him the foundation he needed to attain even greater heights of power. **** "You are free for the day since Your Highness will be staying in the castle for another three days." This was what Knight Captain told me about tia. After that day when she yelled at me, I hadn''t seen her even once. She has left her mansion which her father bought closer to the academy for her easy amodation but for some days, tia has been spending most of her time in the main castle. I didn''t know what I did to piss her off but it seemed tia would not be seeing me anytime soon. "Captain..." Hearing my words, the older man paused but in the end, I had nothing to say to him so I just thanked the man before retiring to my room. I wanted to understand why tia was angry with me but there was no chance in the heavens I could reach her when she was in the main pce. "Hoh~"While on my way back to the room, I heard a mocking sound arriving from a person I seriously didn''t want to face at the moment. "Radolf..." I had no option but to bring my feet to a halt as the blond teenager suddenly appeared in front of me with his quickened pace. He was the substitute butler, dispatched by the Emperor as a contingency, should tia decide she needed a more formidable guard by her side. In the eyes of tia''s family, I was merely a burden, deemed unfit to serve her. Judging by the behavior of other servants towards me, it seemed the sentiment was shared widely. Lips arched, eyes narrowed in utmost glee, the blond watched me with those irritating eyes for a good while before he spoke his mind out, "Why does it seem that even Your Highness, Princess tia also has begun to see how useless piece of rubble, which you are? Your chances seem bleak to serve thedy, my friend. " His tone or words, neither suggested concern since Radolf was purely mocking me and trying to provoke me here. He wants to be the personal attendant of tia so a path to bing a noble servant opens up for him. There were numerous advantages of bing a noble servant. Along with unimaginable wealth and fame, one could get aristocratic titles as well if they performed their role as a servant diligently. But were those the reasons why I intended to serve tia with all my heart? No. I was profoundly grateful to her. The mere thought of her getting hurt in a situation I could have prevented sends a sharp pang in my heart. tia had not only rescued me from the brink of death but also tended to me during those restless nights. She had been my balm, mending both my emotional and physical wounds. Weren''t those reasons enough? "What happened? Did the cat catch your tongue?" Hearing Adolf''s disdain which derives from his desperation, I couldn''t help smirking a little. "!!!" In the past, Kyle mostly got annoyed and triggered by Adolf''s mockery and almost every time got beaten up by him when he tried attacking Adolf. Not to talk about how he had to face the cold scolding of tia afterward. But right now my words seemed enough for this jealous idiot. "Think carefully, Radolf...why despite I have shown such unsightly sides to mydy, she hasn''t fired me until now. If you are smart enough you would understand the reason. " Radolf''s facial color shifted dramatically before he spoke through his gritted teeth, "Do you understand the implication of your words?" I raised my brows before leaning slightly forward with my grin never leaving my face as I asked the guy in a cocky tone, "So what? You gonna cry about it to your Papa?" Radolf''s face turned blue before it shifted to ming red. I didn''t have anything else to say so I just shook my head in disappointment and began walking past him... "You bastard!!" ....or so what I wanted to. Blinded by anger, Radolf failed to summon his water element. This was to my advantage, as deflecting a mere fist presented no significant challenge, even for my past self. I anticipated his move and sidestepped to evade it. With Radolf having missed his mark, his sides were vulnerably exposed. Seizing the opportunity, I clenched my fist and, using a significant portion of my strength, delivered a blow to his upper ribs. "KHWAK!!" His feet faltered, face contoured in pain before the guy knelt on the floor while clutching his sides. See, how easy it was to handle a tantrum-throwing child. With my hands in my pocket, I walked away. ''I need to start preparing for ''those'' events... '' **** A/N: - I would make a side story to bring out those nights that made Kyle so gratified toward tia. Drop ament~ Chapter 9- On his way~1 Chapter 9- On his way~1 "Reporting, mydy. Kyle has been spending most of his days either training inbat or helping around the mansion diligently. Although I wasn''t able to pry inside his room since Kyle has a great sense of observation in close space, I could tell that he no longer suffers from anxiety attacks at night." Inside a huge room which surely was extravagant for a single person to reside, could be seen two people currently engaged in a conversation which the informer couldn''t disclose to anyone but the blonddy. The said informer was actually a spy who had been keeping an eye on Kyle after that day when tia mocked him and left the mansion to have some peace of mind. For some reason, Kyle has been unintentionally troubling her by not behaving how he should have. So to settle down her thoughts and regain herposure which befits the position of a princess, tia returned to Capital for an uncertain period of time. Naturally, her father was overly concerned but tia straightforwardly told him that she just needed some break before the academy started. Fortunately, with what has been happening with her, no other bothersome issue arose. She had been given a rundown about the foreign delicacies who would be enrolling in the academy in the same year as tia but that wasn''t something she felt distressed about. She would remain how she always has been and people would immediately start ignoring her. It was surprising how Kyle stuck to her for this long since even on normal days, tia was unbearable to those who didn''t know her. But only Kyl- ''Again...I am thinking about him again... '' Shaking her head slightly she turned toward the informer before asking in her usual condensed tone," Any suspicious movement?" The dark clothes-wearing spy seemed a little tensed before she finally revealed the thing she was unsure about, "For some reason, Kyle wanders in the nearby jungle now and then without any protection with him other than a box and a spear in his hand..." tia frowned at that, "Roams in the jungle...why was he allowed to go there in the first ce? Don''t the guards know how dangerous the woods could be for a non-awakened?" The forest around her mansion had been recently beginning to get cleared up by the soldiers but it still wasn''t harmless to take a stroll. And more so, for someone like Kyle who couldn''t do anything against a low-ranking beast as well, walking alone in the forest was like inviting death to im his life. Again, she was feeling this dark sensation emerging from her heart. Feeling the intimidating aura from the Princess, the informer grew slightly flustered, but she answered honestly, "Taking aside the fact that Kyle seemed genuinely obdurate about his decision, the knights patrolling the mansion don''t seem to be much concerned about Kyle in the first ce. If anyone then I would say the Knight Commander and the head maid are the only people who actually see him as a person...other than them, mostly everyone acts like he doesn''t exist whatsoever." It was no one but tia''s fault that everyone treated Kyle in that manner. Not only did tia constantly point out how useless Kyle was, but she also shamed him mostly in public. Her intentions were to keep him safe from any danger but now he doesn''t feel any resentment toward tia and has been engaging in his dangerous ventures...wasn''t pretending to be scornful; useless now? ''But what can I do now...just walk up to him and say I was acting all this time?'' That would be stupid through and through. For the time being, she doesn''t know why she was so uneasy about her feelings regarding Kyle all of a sudden. Why did she feel something amiss upon not witnessing that pink hue Kyle wore around him...what changed all of a sudden... "You don''t need to keep an eye on him any longer...I will be returning to Belur tomorrow..." Regardless of her circumstances, tia wasn''t someone to run away from her difficulties rather she preferred to face them head-on... **** ''All preparation was done... '' It was currently nighttime and I was standing near the window of my room which opens to the backside of the mansion. In a few days one of the side characters, who would have a significant role in the plot afterward, would get brutally gang-ra*ed. A professor named ra to be precise. She never was a love interest of the hero since game developers knew how some conservative-minded people don''t like ra*e victims to be lovers of the protagonist. Rather, because of her trauma the said female teacher would kill herself in the future after she stabilizes a good rtionship with the hero. The incident breaks Logan to the point he awakens his Angelic Diving Protection. One of the professors of the Academy tries forcing himself on ra which ignites the trauma she has been trying to suppress for a long time. And before the said bastard professor could have done anything to ra, she slits her throat. Well, now I was going to change that. Various reasons were there. First of all, I sympathize with thatdy more so after what I have faced in this world just upon arrival. She would be assaulted for the whole night by those men whom she trusted and regarded as her family. If I knew someone was going to be met by such a tragic incident when I could have stopped it...indeed something which would haunt me for a long time. Secondly, there was a route in which if Logan didn''t get subdued by the hot shots of the academy at the right time, his berserk self might annihte various innocents as well. The canon would change for sure but there would be various asions where Logan could attain his divine form other than ra''s incident. My current priority lies in saving ra and making her self-reliable enough that she can take her stand and protect herself against any unforeseeable future. Of course, I was gonna conceal my identity for this, or unimaginable circumstances would arise once ra would see me in the academy. All set and done, I checked my backpack and the box of straw dolls ced in it. I don''t need to keep them physically all the time with me since I could just simply summon them with a set of chants but just for safety I have kept the box with me. After all, these straw dolls are proof that I use ck Magic, and leaving it here the risk of getting my room checked by the entity who has been keeping an eye on me for some days...not a good idea. Opening the window, I jumped outside and before my feet couldnd on the ground, I warped away. ''I hope tia doesn''t return when I would be away... '' **** A/N: - Drop ament~ Chapter 10- On his way~2 Chapter 10- On his way~2 The distance between Belur and the ce I was approaching was around three hundred kilometers Belur and several small towns and inds were densely popted because of the presence of the academy. It was amon belief that if catastrophe falls, it''s better to stay near a strong entity. And here, the Headmaster of the Academy was regarded as one of the strongest beings alive. From the game, I knew that if someone could face Logan''s berserk state with all his four wings awakened then it was that man. However, even against him, Logan would leave grave damage in his wake if he got pushed to his limit. Hence, I was en route to negate a potential situation in which Logan might lose control and blur the line between right and wrong. There was a massive jungle around Belur, which led to a farm nearby, and if there was a farm it was given that people regrly travel to and fro. I could warp my way across the forest and the farm to reach my destination but I didn''t want to overburden myself. The shortest route to cross the jungle requires eight hours of travel on foot. And since there was no other means of transport I would have to walk across. I am conserving my warp spell just in case some big monster appears. Around this time, the cultivated crops are burnt and their ashes are used as a type of manure for the next set of crops. And since the mes help keep away the forest dwellers, I would find less dangerous beasts as near as I get to the farm. But for now...I need to maintain vignce. My feet were wrapped with soft rubber pads to conceal my footsteps and since I don''t possess an aura, no beast even with the keenest senses would be able to perceive my presence... *HISSSSSSSS* ....or so I believed. The sound of something slithering above my head sent a jolt down my spine. It was a serpent-type beast. I didn''t turn to look in its direction since various high-ranking serpent-type monsters possess hypnotic abilities. And considering the chill I was feeling in its presence, the only thing I could do was, **ZIIIIP** Using the ''Beta'' straw doll, I warped away from the ce where that snake was. I didn''t need to take the unnecessary risk of getting caught in a battle or other high-ranking beasts might also... *HISSSSSSSS* My eyes widened in astonishment as I discerned the familiar slither of the beast near me. And undoubtedly, it was no hallucination; the palpable presence of a living entity capable of causing my demise was all too genuine. My hand clutched around my spear before I steeled my resolve and turned to look at my adversary. Towering over the surrounding foliage, its dark, scaled body writhed sinuously, each movement exuding a sense of primal power and malevolence. Its scales, as ck as the depths of the night, glinted ominously in the faint light, casting eerie reflections that danced across the forest floor. Each scale was asrge as a man''s hand, ovepping with razor-sharp edges, giving the creature an almost imprable armor-like appearance. Its maw parted to reveal four massive fangs that could suck the life out of its prey and the dancing whip-like tongue shed the air every time it hissed. Maybe it was because I had faced death from extremely close, even in this situation¡ªwhile facing a thirty-foot snake¡ªI was able to think calmly. ''It doesn''t have hypnotic powers...or maybe it''s not working on me. Second, it couldn''t be present in the vicinity given the presence of Breboar I faced yesterday. Two bosses type monsters in the same region....nah. And third, why isn''t it attacking me? '' In the eye of the snake, I must be looking like an easy meal...yet, it hasn''t attacked me even once and was just trying to intimidate me. The concern remained, how it warped along with me. Sweat trickled down my head as I remained eye-to-eye with the serpent while contemting the possible way of tackling this danger. As of now, it wasn''t going to attack me...or if it did, I would simply escape. ''Think....think....think....ah!'' Suddenly I remembered something I had recently read in one of the beast encyclopedias. The Illusionary rattlesnake! ''Come forth: Alpha!'' Heeding mymand, the straw doll appeared in my left hand before I cast a spell without thinking twice about my decision. "Self Burn!" As those words escaped my lips, my entire being was engulfed in a ze of raw me, encasing every inch of my body like a protective cloak, surrounding me with glowing embers. The figure of the massive serpent dissolved in smog before the cries of the actual monster rang behind me, "*KHEEEEEEK*" I turned towards the cry as the spell subdued slowly. The structure of a two-meter-long snake entered my vision which had enwrapped itself around my torso without me realising. The illusory monster had stealthily inflicted its bite upon me unnoticed, ensnaring me within its deceptive mirage, all the while pushing me closer to my inevitable demise. The reason why I could hear its slither was because the snake was always attached to my body, so there was no point in trying to escape it. Observing the snake''s ferocious cries, I deftly spun my spear before propelling the spearhead toward the monster''s direction, swiftly piercing its crown with precise uracy. I didn''t check my injuries and used ''Beta'' to warp away from the ce. I have already caused quite amotion. -------------- Reaching a rtively safe big tree which was devoid of any residents I took off my clothes to check where the snake bit me. My clothes were fire insted yet my shirt was burnt and some skin around my left arm was also scorched. I didn''t feel much pain from it....well, it stung a little but it was manageable. I didn''t have any potions with me since they are insanely pricey. However, regr medicine for healing was in there in my bag. ''Ah, fuck...that damned snake....'' The only part left uncovered in my body apart from my face was the small gap between my sleeves and gloves. And that was the precise mark where the snake bit me and its venom worked as a drug to make me hallucinate. I took a small knife and heated it until the de was ming red before gulping down my spit. ''Necessary measure...necessary measure...'' Biting on one of my gloves, I inserted the tip of the dagger in my flesh and felt the burning sensation seeping into my body. "Umnfggghhh!" I iled slightly, wanting to just leave the wound as it was and see a doctor. However, considering how I need to conceal my identity, it would be foolish to resort to external help. Stealing my nerves and gritting my teeth until my jaw didn''t hurt, I finally began to slice the bitten area with the dagger de. Cold sweat continuously dripped down my head and my shirt was already drenched, as I slowly curved the de near the edge of the purplish area and finished digging out the poison. ''Haah...haah....haaah...'' Putting down the dagger, I nted it heavily while my other hand shuffled things in my bag to find the cooling lotion I carried. ''I need to be careful...just an F-rank monster was able to nearly lure me to death...'' While patching up my wounds, I decided on my future journey across the forest. This trip was surely going to be extremely beneficial for me. ******** A/N:- Drop ament. SS: Alatia’s gentle side SS: tia¡¯s gentle side "Mydy?! Isn''t that..." The healer who was curing Kyle gasped upon seeing the ruby droplet tia was holding between her fingers and extending it toward Kyle''s mouth. The Tears of Phoenix was worth several million gold coins which could only be bought through foreign trade and only the Emperor had the right to import them. The Phoenix Tear she held could easily afford the ration for a month for a whole town and the scarcity of the medicine has always kept Pheonix Tears in high demand. And tia was going to use it on a measly ex-noble servant? There was more than enough reason for the church resident to raise the objection. However, Altia didn''t think twice before feeding Kyle the Tear as some words escaped her lips, "With the pace you are healing him, it would take more than a week for him to regain consciousness. And I couldn''t continue my daily life without him." The nun, who rushed to the mansion upon tia''s summon, raised her brows in pure shock. For the Princess to be so dependent on a single servant...to the point she was spending such a valuable medicine? Once Kyle gulped down the Tear, tia turned to look at the nun before asking, "I don''t find any use of yours anymore." The older one gulped, finding those cold violet eyes weighing down her whole person before she bowed to the young girl and rushed out of the room. tia didn''t say anything after that and turned her attention back to Kyle. His face had already healed up and so had all his internal injuries¡ªthanks to the healer who stabilized his condition and Phoenix Tear she just ingested him. Seeing hisplexion recovering, tia sighed as her hand subconsciously reached for his head. It was then, "Excuse me, Your Highness." The voice of Knight Commander disturbed tia''s calming mood before she turned to look at him. The tall man with a nted scar on his face was the security chief and also the Captain of the battalion under tia''smand¡ªCommander Rollen Schrinshoff. There was a person in Rollen''s hold, who seemed to be pretty thrashed and torn. This was the same man who knew about Kyle''s imprisonment and also the fact that Kyle hadn''t escaped the prison. However, he didn''t say anything to the authorities and kept his mouth shut. And now that his otherrades had died, he was also nning to abscond¡ªonly to get caught by the patrolling unit. The gleam in her eyes shifted from annoyance to murderous. The captive flinched before raising his head. His body trembled under the immense bloodlust tia was permeating. Rollen coldly hurled the captive to the ground before stepping back. His duty was fulfilled in delivering the used alive; now, everything rested on tia. "Y-Young Lady....p-please have mercy...I swear to god...I didn''t know...P-Please tru-..." **KHLANK** Not even twice did she think before creating four ice pincers and stabbing the man to death. Her control over magic and the precision she used to hit all his vital spots, greatly surprised Rollen, as he saw the used''s blood spreading nearing his boot. Looking back at the youngdy, who has already turned toward the patient, Collen called out, "Your Highness, I beg you to take some rest. You have recently recovered and if you fall sick again, Your Imperial Majesty might call you back." Rollen''s concern stemmed not from her health but from the possibility of a direct order from the Emperor for tia to withdraw and not attend the Academy. tia remained silent for a moment¡ªseemingly, contemting. A momentter, she mumbled, "Send Maria. " Collen took a deep breath. His gaze lingered on tia''s back for another moment before he retreated. ***** Since that night tia has been staying in Kyle''s room most of the time without bothering to sleep even for a moment. The head maid Maria was apanying the young girl and reminded tia that a human needs to eat and rest from time to time as well. Currently, Maria was changing cooling pads and draping a new one on Kyle''s ming head. He was suffering from high fever¡ªan effect of using Phoenix Tear. It burns every wound, disease, and unwanted impurities from the body thoroughly. "Mmh...ah....n-no...stop....STOPPPP!" Before Maria could have reacted, suddenly, Kyle jumped on his feet and began running toward the door with a horrified expression. Maria stood up on her feet in shock however she didn''t need to move to stop him as tia appeared before Kyle and embraced him tightly. "Let me go! LET ME GO!!" Kyle shouted at her, iled his body, and tried pushing her away but tia remained strong at her spot and held him firmly in her arms. "It''s okay, Kyle...everything is fine...no one will hurt you anymore...please calm down..." It was the first time for the maid to see such a tender side of herdy, whispering suchforting words to Kyle and trying to calm him down so patiently. No one even in her family has received such gentle and careful treatment from thedy. As Maria thought, Kyle had a very special spot in her heart. ***** It has been two days since that incident. Kyle was awake now, but extremely weak. His body was recovering at a gradual pace and now, proper nutrition and regr medication would help him get back in shape. Currently, in his room, only one person apart from Kyle, could be seen. Naturally, it was his mistress, tia. She currently was feeding Kyle some porridge which had every required vegetable and some meat mixed in small chunks. And given the cook was none other than the head maid, the porridge was destined to be delicious. However, Kyle wasn''t able to enjoy the meal to the fullest since the way he was eating it, didn''t allow him to rest well. "Umm...mydy...I can lift the spoon-mmm.." Before he could have finished saying those words, tia stuffed his mouth with a spoonful of porridge and red at him. "Chew it properly." Kyle inwardly sighed before nodding. His mouth moved as he chewed the vegetables and gulped them down diligently. "How are you feeling? Any pain or difort eating food?" Kyle shook his head, even though he was unsure how this was possible. His innards were all mashed up by those two bastards to the point where Kyle believed that he might puke out whatever he ate. However, now, not only he was not feeling any kind of pain, but his digestive system seemed to be working quite well. Later that day, he would hear from Maria about the reason behind his miraculous recovery. Once Kyle finished eating, tia got up from the chair, intending to leave the room¡ªwhen suddenly, Kyle called out, "Mydy...for saving my life and for everything you have done for me, I thank you from the depth of my heart." tia remained silent hearing such a sincere voiceing from that person who always remained hateful toward her... Looking over her shoulder, she assessed his hue...and felt troubled seeing only gratification surrounding his aura. ''Strange...'' This small change in the plot would lead to something that Kyle could have never anticipated... ***** A/N:- Small changes make a massive impact on the future. And for Kyle to not be in love with tia was that small change. Chapter 12- A fool? Chapter 12- A fool? "Alpha: Linear Burn." As the words left my lips, the two diagram spell was propelled toward the Antrafox with remarkable velocity, swiftly diverging in opposite directions. The fox''s panic surged, emitting cautionary growls as it beheld the two zing fireballs hurtling toward it from opposite directions. Lost in choice, the beastunched itself in my direction with the clear intention to incapacitate me. Its body glowed with a reddish hue, signifying how it used the ''Self-eleration'' skill to boost its speed and strength by three folds. The normal two-meter fox now was heavier than a truck and as fast as a supercar as it advanced toward me. If I get hit by something like that then several of my bones might snap and internal bleeding would render me useless for a good while. However, I wouldn''t have provoked the fox if I didn''t have any n against it. I keenly tracked its figure which was approaching me while I tightly held my straw doll in my left hand. Sweat dripped down my forehead, but I was determined not to make any mistakes this time. "Beta: Warp." Just when the fox was inches apart from me, my figure disappeared from the spot in an instant and the pitiful creature crashed into the giant tree. **BOOOOOM** The force of the fox was so elevated that upon the crash the three-meter-thick tree split from the middle and the fox staggered on its feet as it walked out from the other side. I was expecting it to die instantly but well. "Converge." The two fireballs Iunched earlier heeded mymand and after reuniting, I redirected it to its primary target. "*SHEEEAAKKKKK!!*" The loud screeching howl of the fox resonated across the forest as I watched the scene with my gaze narrowed. The mes erupted and burnt the beast savagely until the cries of agony didn''t subdue. "Defuse." Themand evaporated the mes instantly as I was met by the scorched body of the fox; lying upside down with its body ckened. The pungent smell of cooked meat reached my nose even from a distance as I felt my mouth watering. "Need to hurry." Given how any other wild beast could emerge upon smelling the food, I instantly walked toward my dinner and used my knife skills to carve out arge chunk of meat from the torso area. Once done, I escaped the ce and found myself a rxing spot and enjoyed my dinner. The morning sun has already appeared on the horizon, spreading the reddish wings across the world and providing a sense offort for someone who has survived the whole night amongst deadly creatures. Tonight was that pre-canon event that could lead to my and tia''s demise. My future remains in tia''s hands. If peoplee to find me using dark arts then she is the only person who can save me. So apart from the sense of servitude I felt toward her, there was my own selfishness as well. ''Haah...I wonder what would happen once tia finds out my secret...'' ****** "Wait. State your purpose and leave three silvers to enter the town." Around mid-noon, Kyle finally reached his destination, which was situated in the middle of the vast paddy farm. The town had three entrances and if talking about poption, then by the size of the town it seemed there were more than three thousand people inside. Kyle was currently wearing a wooden mask to enter the town, even though he could have warped his way inside. Reason? It was simple. He wanted to create a divergence of identity once he entered the town. That was why he paid the other security guards of the other two town entrances, while wearing a different mask. The task that has to be done requires Kyle to ughter some men and once he does, the security guards would create a scene to find the most suspicious-looking man they saw earlier in the day. And amidst the chaos, Kyle would escape the town easily. Or so he believed. "Here. " The security guard narrowed his eyes to scrutinize Kyle however once his eyesnded on ten silver coins instead of three, all the suspicion was erased from his visage as he hurriedly weed him, "Wee to town Trevenstoff. I hope you have a great day." The security guard bowed before signaling to the gatekeeper. ''Different worlds, same policies...'' Kyle was all too familiar with this system of bribing which caused him to roll his eyes and walk inside the town with steady strides. The ce was lively and beaming with the color of festivities. The incident he came to stop was set to unfold during the night, coinciding with the celebration of the cultivation festival. Once every year around the beginning of the year, when they cultivated the crops, it was a tradition of this town to thank the God of Agriculture by offering delicious food and booze. The red and white triangr gs hanging all across the town were the symbol of the guardian beast they prayed to protect and bless their farm and crops. Kyle was unaware of whether there was any mythical beast around the town since he had very little information on ra¡ªgiven she was meant to kill herself in the future. But not in this timeline. ''Let''s see...whom should I ask...'' Although the town was smaller inparison to Belur, it would take a lot of time if Kyle just roamed around the town and tried to identify ra by her face. Looking around, he found a woman carrying a big basket in her arms with her head covered with a scarf. She seemed to be a farmer by her get-up which was a plus point since ra was a farmer in this town as well. Advancing toward her with quick strides, Kyle called out, "Excuse me; do you know someone who goes by the name ra?" The woman halted...or more like jerked in surprise maybe because ra was too famous around the ce? Kyle doubted that. Reaching the woman, he was about to ask again when suddenly she turned to look at him¡ªcausing Kyle to jolt in surprise this time, "Yes? Are you looking for me?" Dark violet eyes and curly hair of the same shade adorned the woman like natural jewelry, enhancing her beauty. Despite being in such a rough job her skin has yet to lose a single shade as thedy tilted her head, blinking at him in confusion. Her beauty was something that made him lose his breath for half a minute before Kyle somehow collected himself and asked, "I was sent by Uncle Rino to deliver a message. If you don''t mind, can we talk this out at lunch?" ra looked overjoyed hearing that name before she hastily nodded her head, "Definitely! Umm, let me ce these back at my home before I will take you to a famous eatery in the town." Kyle nodded before he began following the woman to her house. He couldn''t help sighing in helplessness, seeing how easy to fool thisdy was. This was the reason why she was taken advantage of in the end and was traumatized for life. He needs to prepare her...strengthen her so that when the timees, he can use her against Logan. ****** A/N:- Someonemented that how Kyle is a dog of tia and spineless to follow the plot. Haah...how can I exin that not every main character has to follow the same path? I mean, why should Kyle go out of his way to crush the plot and in the end have to battle a broken character named Logan? Please enjoy this story from the perspective of a side character who is trying to live a serene happy life while protecting the happiness of his mistress. Thank you. Chapter 13- Disappeared Chapter 13- Disappeared ra is a side but an important character. Her role was to make Logan familiar with the schooling life and help him develop his potion-brewing skills. Being a person from the countryside as well, Logan was able to feel some kind of kinship with ra. Many people liked ra and wanted her to have a happy ending with Logan, however, the creators had different ns, and despite how many attempts, ra''s fate remained sealed. Just after some months of joining, she was assaulted by one of her fellow professors when she and he were alone in the staffroom. And to save herself from experiencing something so dreading again, she kills herself. That incident would trigger Logan''s transformation and push him to his breaking point. The individual used of the event would likely meet a fatal end. However, other professors and even some students could find themselves under threat due to Logan''s uncontroble berserk form. I couldn''t let that situation arise; as such, I had to save ra here today. "Uncle Ronin talks about you a lot. He told me how you even got your application epted at Starfall Academy while continuing your job as a farmer." Starfall Academy of Divine Arts¡ªthe ce where it would all begin for real. To apply as a professor in that academy, one has to pass several tests and practical examinations. And ra was able to achieve her dream of bing a professor there, in one single attempt. "Hehe~thank you for thepliment. In all honesty, I think they just wanted a good potion maker for themselves as well, that''s why they epted me on board." Seeing her blushing face and how she innocently replied, I could tell that she was a heroine material. And a clumsy one at that. "By the way, is there any reason to wear that mask?" "Ah, yes. My face is half burnt on the left side, that''s why. Ah, yeah, here is a gift from Uncle Ronin. " The name I was using to gain her trust was the man with whom ra stayed after getting brutally assaulted by her countrymen. He is the man who encouraged ra to not wail because of the past and to make a bright future by joining the academy. I handed her the vial containing an antidote for any type of poison or drug. It was a highly valuable medicine, of which I possessed only one. She pinched the container between her thumb and index finger before tilting her head. "This....? " "It''s for seasonal infection I guess. He also gave me one to drink when I was about to leave." I couldn''te up with any other lie. However, I was unsure that ra would buy it, despite being so gullible until now. However, thankfully, *STIN* *Gulp* Taking off the lid, she gulped down the content in one go before letting out a ''Fuaah''. I had a hard time believing that this woman was in her early twenties already. "Thanks for everything, Mister. Then, can I do something to return the favor?" I thought about whether I should ask her to include me in today''s celebration as well...however, I soon rejected that idea. To keep an eye on the situation without letting ra know about my presence would be far better. "No, that''s okay." ***** After bidding farewell to ra(who seemed to be hell-bent on feeding me something good as thanks), I walked out of her cabin. The sun has already been repositioned near the horizon, indicating how long I chatted with ra. Stretching my body I little, I was about to find myself a room to rest until night when suddenly I sensed someone approaching me from my left. "Oi!" I turned to look at the brown-haired young man standing there with an irritated scowl on his face. I recognized him since he was that obsessive-one-sided lover of ra who nned everything about tonight. "Yeah?" I didn''t allow myself to act hostile towards him since I didn''t want to raise needless suspicion. Given the advantage of numbers they would be during the incident, I can only rely on the element of surprise during my assault tonight. That''s why I had to avoid any kind of confrontation that could lead me to use physical force. "What were you doing inside?" With his fist clenched and teeth-gritting in anger, he asked in a purely hateful tone. If not for the vigers around, he might have attacked me¡ªthat much agitation I could see on his face. "Why does that concern you? Are you someone rted to ra?" My words made him lose his temperament momentarily. However, that surprise onlysted for a few seconds before he nearly shouted, "Why should I answer a hooligan like you?!" His shout now attracted many gazes in our direction. "Hooligan...is he some kind of criminal escaped from the cell?" "Look at that mask... doesn''t it resemble those from the underworld?" "Mama...I am scared." I see, what he is trying to do. The smirk he wore vividly expressed his thoughts. I crossed my arms on my chest before responding in a louder pitch, "I doubt the hooligan part... After all, it wasn''t me who was stalking ra all the way from the market." "Wha..." The man struggled to utter anything in response as his face turned ghastly pale. I have been keeping an eye on my surroundings ever since I met ra. I knew, being a crazed lover, he would absolutely follow us to ra''s ce. His reaction helped my argument as the whispers from the people soon shifted, "Stalker? I knew Tim admired ra...but to stalk her?" "For a grown-up man to behave in such a manner....disgusting." The brown head whose name seems to be Tim, growled at me before turning away and making a swift exit. ''... I just hope this doesn''t make any changes in the event...'' If possible I would have told ra to shift her residence from this town right away, however, knowing her personality it was nigh impossible to persuade her. ''I have to wait and see what happens now...'' ***** Back in Belur, tia has already returned to the mansion where she has been residing for some months now and preparing for the academy. The reason she remained in the Captial for some days was because she wanted to collect her thoughts and remind herself of various things. She wanted to stop thinking about Kyle just because his feelings toward her, changed. However, as soon as she returned, she found herself once again unable to shake off his thoughts. Reason? Kyle has disappeared. "I beg your forgiveness, Your Highness. I should have kept the patrolling unit on alert even in your absence." Collen, the security in-chief, bowed his head slightly and confessed his mistake. The fact that Kyle, a non-awakened, was able to escape the eyes of magicians of the patrolling unit was a feat to admire. However, in her current mood, tia couldn''t care less about that fact. "I have heard Collen that Kyle, my personal attendant, is treated like a piece of trash by the people residing in this mansion. Is that true? " tia speaks less...almost countable words a day. For her to summon that many words in such a condensed tone suggested that she was annoyed. Sweat trickled down the side of his face with his head never daring to lift. Colleen neither agreed nor disagreed with such a im, as lying was never an option for him. Speaking the truth, however, could potentially cost the lives of every soldier under hismand. tia remained silent for a moment with her annoyance gravely elevating before shemanded, "Find Kyle before sunrise." Collen didn''t have to ask, what would happen if he couldn''t fulfill the task. Bowing his head again, he walked out. Left alone, tia heaved a deep breath before she touched the mark inscribed under her belly button. The mark that ims her ownership over her ve¡ªKyle. ''Don''t make me use this Kyle...'' ***** A/N:- Many people are concerned over her changing attitudepared to canon. Just rx and read. I will exin everything slowly. Drop ament. Chapter 14- Dazzle Chapter 14- Dazzle As the sun settled, the vigers of the Travenstoff town began to appear more on the streets;ughing and chatting about their share of profits this harvest season. The reason for their joy could either be regarded as simple or foolish. But that doesn''t bother the people residing in her. Wearing colorful attires while mingling with other groups, they approached the big Mother Tree nted in the middle of the town. The branches of the said tree were spread like clouds in a vast sky¡ªproviding a veryforting view to the people of the town. The tree wasn''t too huge but the presence of the tree is rumoured to be very advantageous to the farmers. Every year they gather around the tree and pray for Mother Nature for keeping them alive and healthy. The prayer was done in two phases with a gap of half an hour in between. ra was also present at the group to thank the Mother Tree which has been holding its roots even before the town was built here. Naturally, ra came alone here today but she was known by enough people to not remain alone for long. "Hey, ra. What was that guy doing in your cabin? Is it something special?" "I bet he must be hiding a prince charming face behind that mask. How lucky of you, ra." The rumors of ra¡ªan unmarried woman¡ªinviting a man inside her cabin have spread across the town faster than she anticipated. However, since nothing was going on between her and the masked person, ra didn''t find it difficult to answer them, "He was my uncle''s associate; came to deliver a message from him." "Hee~I wonder if my innocent ra has begun hiding things~" ra giggled upon hearing her friend''s remark before she rebutted them in a yful voice. What the silly woman failed to notice was a certain group of men, standing not so far away from them¡ªstaring at no one but ra. The hunger evident in their eyes, coupled with their attempts to conceal their salivating lips while gazing at ra, was repulsive to witness from a general perspective. The person standing in front, Tim, eyed around ra to search for the masked human who gave a very strange vibe when he had a confrontation with him. "Tim...when do we start?" The bald man standing just behind Tim, asked in a growling voice with his eyes never leaving ra''s body. The group of seven men were awaiting a chance to target ra¡ªone of the most beautiful and still unmarried beauties in the town, for a while now. ra was an outsider to the town as she settled here just two years ago, that''s why these seven would easily get pardoned once the casends in the Mayor''s hand. After all, in exchange for seven adventurers, the Mayor surely wouldn''t take the side of a mere farmer. Tim remained silent for a bit, contemting whether everything really would go as they nned. After thinking for a moment he told them, "I think we should change the location." ***** When mostly everyone had prayed to their God and Guardian Beast, they united in the city hall to enjoy the evening. I also left the motel where I was resting. Although the streets weren''t entirely empty, my current appearance surely wouldn''t rouse much suspicionpared to before. The most stand-out feature of mine was my silvery gray hair which is why I was using a shawl to cover my head and used a fabric around my mouth to hide the lower part of my face. I...did try using make-up but that was a huge failure. I looked like a clown, no less and that would have garnered more attention¡ªcontrary to what I wished for. Exiting the motel after paying for the room, I silently followed one of the female groups who surely were heading toward the town hall. They were carrying baskets of bread and other snacks for the celebration. I have attached both of my dolls to my waist and one to my chest. I was carrying a small dagger in my boot as well but apart from that, I wasn''t carrying any visible weapons. Although the town was drowned in the colors of festivities, the patrolling unit and the guards wouldn''t think twice before detaining a suspicious entity. The distance between the motel and the town hall was less than a five-minute walk before the huge single-story building appeared in my view. The guards stationed near the entrance were not inspecting the guests, for today''s asion, that''s why I didn''t have any problem entering inside. There were numerous people all around the ce, arranged in either groups or couples. Some were joking around,ughing, and feasting. And some were enjoying peaceful couple dances or cozy moments in a corner. I surveyed the ce and tried to find ra. ''There she is....'' I didn''t have to wander much since ra was currently in the middle of the hall¡ªsharing a dance with a man. ra was a beauty who could have easily won Miss Universe in my previous world. With those charms added to her easy-going personality, it was given that she would be quite popr among locals. There was no malice intention from the men who asked for a dance as it wasn''t just ra who was enjoying herself there. People just seemed to be letting go of all of their worries and enjoying the moment to the fullest. However, it couldn''t be said to a certain group who was currently sitting in a corner with their eyes settled on ra. I sat on a chair nearby with my gaze fixated on them. The seven of those men would be the executors of this incident if my memory serves right. I also surveilled ra just in case someone other than those seven turned out to be involved in this. "Want some apple pie?" Suddenly a young girl appeared before me with a te in her hand. She looked quite shy offering me the pie and her cheeks were flushed as well. I noticed that she wasn''t serving the apple pie to others, but brought this piece just for me. ''Do I look majestic even with my face covered?'' Throwing away my narcissistic thoughts I took the pie from her before offering a smile. "Thank you." Her face turned even redder before she turned on her heels and dashed away. Silly girl. I could feel many gazes now drawn at me because the motive behind the pie was to see my face. While the idea of mesmerizing all the maidens and even some middle-aged women around was tempting, I resisted the urge. Scooping a spoonful I lifted the fabric around my mouth from the bottom before cing the spoon in my mouth. Once the pie was ced on my tongue, I took the spoon out. "Uuuu..." "Unfair...why so soon..." "He got pink lips...for sure...." The reason why those females groaned was because I took almost half a second to ce the pie in my mouth; not allowing thedies to witness my handsomeness. ''Ah, it started...'' Although I was entertaining myself with thedies, I never allowed myself to keep my focus away from ra. Just as she shared some drinks with Tim and the others, like she was doing with everyone else who came across her, ra began to feel dizzy. The seven helped ra to escort towards the back side of the hall where the storage room was located. I swiftly got up from my seat before following them. My main goal was to let ra feel some terror because of those people whom she considered someone as her family before saving her. ...however, I never anticipated such a significant canon divergence, awaiting me... ***** A/N:- Hmm... Chapter 15- Failed or…not Chapter 15- Failed or¡­not The number of guests gathered in the hall exceeded five hundred¡ªgiven this was their biggest festival of the year. The chances of losing someone''s sight were quite natural here; especially for someone who couldn''t use detection magic. However, despite not having ra''s sight, I didn''t panic. I knew where this hideous act was about to happen, as such I treaded through the crowd and steadily made my way toward it. The back side of the town hall was devoted to storing materials, mostly for town benefits. However, most of the things here were either rted to construction or ration, that''s why there weren''t many security guards around. And during this asion, almost every security guard remains patrolling around the town. "Where you goin'' pal? Wanna have a sip?" A drunkard viger came in my way just before I could have entered the backside of the town hall. He was swinging on his feet, with a beer mug loosely dangling in his hold. "No, thank you. Ah, I think that woman is calling you." The man''s eyes shed with curiosity and excitement as he looked in the direction I pointed at. Taking advantage of the moment, I silently walked past him and pushed apart the two doors. *SWII* "Unusually dark..." The gemstone igniting the town hall was not working here. Not something I found strange. I made my way toward the east of the lobby which led to the third storage room. My Alpha doll was prepared to unleash a fury of fireballs at the moment''s notice. The people I am about to face are veteran adventurers, so despite being non-magicians, I have to be cautious around them. They are savage creatures who have encountered life-and-death situations countless times before. They possess tactics that can transform adversity into opportunity, drawing upon their experience to navigate through perilous circumstances. ''...this is the first time I am going to face humans for real...'' There was no time to contemte or step back. I have to steel myself for this or the future will be nothing but a path to hell, for me. ''Fooo...let''s do this...'' Taking a deep breath, I push open the door with a fireball conjured on the top of my hand. "Ah-w-who?!" I blinked in confusion upon seeing two new faces, who were kissing a moment ago. However, what made me baffled was the fact that they were present here not the people whom I was expecting. Since the storage room wasn''t big and the fact that these two were her, means that those seven along with ra never came here. ''Shit! Where did they go?!'' I dashed out of the room before looking around the ce to search for them. Following me, the couple whom I caught also exited the room hurriedly¡ªallowing me to check the storage room thoroughly. However, as I thought none of the seven was here. ''Did they suspect my possible intervention and change the location?'' It was a possibility that aftering across me in the afternoon, Tim might have changed the location, just in case. And guess what? It worked! ''Searching every storage room is not possible within due time. I need to be quick.'' I went toward the same spot from where I entered the backside with numerous thoughts rummaging through my mind. ''They cannot leave the town hall since the patrolling guards surely would question a group of men carrying an unconscious woman....which means they still are within the building and hiding in one of the storage rooms. But there are more than thirty here...'' The moment when I realized the severity of the matter, my Beta Doll was already in my hold. Apart from teleportation, there were numerous things this doll could perform. However, having so little experience with my powers I could only try replicating what I had seen Kyle performing. In the game, there existed a technique called ''Astral Vision,'' enabling Kyle to see through any obstacle and enter the ''Colorless World.'' This skill had numerous applications and potential uses, but for now, I chose not to dwell on my capabilities. Although I have tried using this technique once before I still wasn''t able to achieve my desired goal. ''The one who bestowed me with these powers, I pray you to assist me to cross this obstacle." nting the Beta Doll against my head with its arms covering my brows, I closed my eyes. The connection between me and the Doll was quickly established as I tried prying into what the Doll wanted me to show. My brows furrowed as I sensed images forming despite my eyes remaining closed. It seemed as though the surroundings were shifting and morphing into something unfamiliar. The world around me darkenedpletely within my subconscious. Everything took on geometric shapes and structures, resembling a sketche to life. "Hmm?!" I turned my head to the left and noticed iplete handprints drawn on the walls, indicating that either the individuals hadn''t fully pressed their hands against those spots or that my skill was still iplete. I focused on the floor and found numerous footmarks there. However, considering how many people must have passed from this ce, I couldn''t follow a single trail. I inwardly cluck my tongue upon not finding anything suitable...however, just as I was about to lose my motivation my eyes caught a strange mark at the corner. And the peculiar thing¡ªit had a purple shade! ''How the heck does this technique work?'' With my eyes still closed I slowly walked toward the spot before kneeling. Pressing my finger against that patch I found it was some kind of sticky fluid. I brought the finger near my nose before a strong odor of some herbs and vani essence overwhelmed my senses. ''Where have I-ah! It was in ra''s house.'' I have smelled this scent before in ra''s house. Given she was a potion maker there must be numerous potions she brews regrly However, this peculiar scent of bitter herb along with vani was quite profound in her house today. I turned my head and found several patches in the lobby that continued until the end and then it disappeared. It was highly impossible but it seems ra had somehow left some clues behind. I jumped on my feet and without a second thought advanced toward the ce where she could be. The trail led me to the very end of the lobby before a small gallery came into view on the left. The size of the entrance of this lobby was smaller than the main lobby. Until a person doesn''t reach at this point they wouldn''t know there is a passage here as well. I again connected my consciousness to the ''Colorless World'' and found out that the path marks end in front of the third door after entering the narrow passage. This time I didn''t hesitate before pushing apart the door and rushing inside. "Huh?!" Although the people I was expecting were present inside, the scene I anticipated was not what I had expected. The only person standing on their feet in the storage room apart from me was ra. The seven men whom I came to detain were currently lying on the ground with their eyes turned white and foam leaking out of their lips. I turned toward ra with my eyes slightly widened, as I heard her carefree voice reaching my senses, "Oh, you finally are here Mister~" In that moment, I realized two things: First, ra wasn''t an idiot. Second, I was very bad at covert missions. ******* A/N:- Kyle ain''t a professional so expect some mistakes initially. He would improve and be a better version. I hope you guys liked the chapter. Drop ament. Chapter 16- Parting ways Chapter 16- Parting ways I calmed my breathing and inwardly sighed in relief. Because of my foolishness and over-reliance on my previous life knowledge, something irreversible could have urred. But thankfully I didn''t have to feel guilty anymore. ra was safe and the incident that I wanted to prevent was negated by the woman herself. "You really seem too worried for someone who doesn''t even know me." Hearing those words from ra didn''t surprise me. From what I could see, ra somehow discerned by my visit that something was about to happen, and as such she prepared countermeasures. Those purple patches left on the trail were no mere coincidence but intentional clues left for me to follow and reach here. Now the question remained, "How did you suspect that something bad was about to happen?" I locked the door of the storage room, just in case someone walked in, and witnessed the seven men lying half-dead on the floor. I already have checked their pulses and it seems they weren''t in any immediate danger. ra didn''t seem ufortable at my caution as she sat on one of the storage containers and responded to me nonchntly, "It did not take me long to discover that you are not acquainted with Uncle Ronin. As someone who has spent years with him, I could easily distinguish between a friend and a deceiver. As such, it wasn''t very difficult." ...now that she mentioned it, I indeed noticed ra bringing up things about Ronin more often in our conversation. She isn''t an airhead as I thought... "Then why didn''t you report me and more importantly, how can you drink something that a stranger gave you...especially, that stranger who was trying to deceive you?" The fluency she showed while gulping down that potion-ah! My eyes widened at the realization as I said, "You knew that it was an anti-drug potion to negate the effect of any kind of drug or harmful medication, didn''t you?" There was a grin on her face when I said that. Right! How can I forget that this woman was the genius potion maker who would be known throughout the world for the discovery of the ''Miracle Potion''? I mmed my palm against my head as I heard ra''s response, "Thanks to that, I realized that someone was going to drug me tonight. And after hearing your confrontation with Tim, I had a feeling that Mister was trying to protect me." Her words made me raise my brows before I leaned my head and looked at her, "Then...? What did you do to them?" Indicating toward the seven fallen criminals, I asked. "I mixed a post-triggering anesthetic drug into barrels that would onlye into effect once I wish to. Thankfully Mister isn''t much of a drinker or you might also be lying on the ground like these men." I...inwardly shivered seeing the woman saying those words with a smiling face. It seems, after this incident, she bes an entirely different person that''s why her personality in the game is shown as a timid and soft-spoken person. But as it seems to me, this woman, was a sadist by nature. ''Hmm...wait!'' I suddenly realized something before I asked her, "You said ''barrels''...that means every person in this town who has had a drink tonight would...suffer like them?" I was not worried but shocked. Does this woman not feel guilty about those who were not involved in this or she was a heartless being, to begin with? However, thetter part of my assumption was soon shot down as a saddened ra responded, "I know what I did is hideous...however, I had to do it. " Jumping off the container she continued, "This drug keeps people unconscious for half a day before a strong hangover hit them upon awakening. Apart from that, no other side effects were recorded during testing." I raised my brows which ushered her to continue while still looking guilty and half sad, "Without knowing the possible threat this was the only option I was left with. Do you think I went too far?" With her eyes drawn toward the ground, she asked in a self-deprecating voice that suggested how unsure she was of her decision. ra must have known that she had saved herself from being sexually vited by these men...yet she was feeling guilty for the method she used for her defense. I don''t know whether to call this woman foolish or too kind for her own good... "ra." Hearing my voice she turned to look at me before I told her, "There is no future of yours in this vige, as such I suggest you to escape and live with your uncle for the time being." I was about to say ''Live with you Uncle until the entrance ceremony'' but I held myself. It would cause too much suspicion. She looked at me with a defeated expression...however, she didn''t refute. She must have already expected this conclusion before mixing the drug in the barrels. Being an outsider, the Mayor wouldn''t pardon her with some light punishment for what she has done, and given Tim''s obsession with the woman, he might use different tactics to target her again. "But...Trevenstoff is under Viscount Powell''s jurisdiction. What if he starts an investigation? In that way, Uncle Ronin might get into trouble." Hearing those words, I smirked at her before assuring her. "About that...don''t worry. The Mayor and the citizens wouldn''t even try finding the real culprit behind this drug incident as well." She tilted her head in an adorable manner before asking, "How so?" ***** On the asion of the harvest festival, within the Townhall of Trevenstoff, many people were found unconscious, under the effect of some unidentifiable drugs that were mixed in their drinks. Additionally, there was a massive fire that set off at the backside of the Townshall, consuming the lives of more than five recorded adventurers and possibly one of the citizens named ra. If anything then there was a theatrical mask that was found around the site, as such, the whole me of this incident was directed at the masked-wearing individual whom the guards allowed to enter the town in the morning. **** Once the whole ce was in chaos, it was rtively easy for me and ra to escape Trevenstoff. She was wearing a hood like me as we dashed far away from the town in a hurried manner without conversing a single word. Since all the guards were busily helping the citizens who had been drugged and some were involved in extinguishing the fire I ignited, our departure was questioned by none. I could see in those violet eyes ra possessed how sad she was, leaving behind the town she had considered her home. Once we reached the middle of somewhere, but far away from the town, I signaled her to halt. "Haah....let... let''s just...stop...for a moment..." The difference between an awakened and a non-awakened could be seen here...or maybe since she was a farmer her natural stamina was quite higher than mine. ra seemed surprised before she offered me some water. I took off the lead before smelling the content, when suddenly the melodious chuckle from the woman, rang in my ears, "Don''t worry, I won''t drug my savior." "Savior you say..." I wanted to chuckle at the remark but I focused on drinking the water first. Turning away from her I lifted the cloth from my mouth before gulping down half of the water "Now what? We part ways?" As I handed her the container, she asked me. "Yeah, we should. You can manage yourself from here on, I suppose?" In the short time I spent with ra, I realized she was a skilled magician with a strong survival instinct. And there are many carriages that travel from Trevenstoff to the ce where ra had to go, as such, she wouldn''t meet any difficulties reaching her destination. "Umm, before you go..." She suddenly pulled a pouch that was attached to her waist before extending it toward me. Confused, I took the pouch before taking a peek inside...only to find my eyes widening a little. There were more than twenty potion vials inside with some of the rarest and most expensive ones in there. Amidst my shock suddenly ra raised her voice and said something concerning, "The next time we meet, I will offer you something better than this." Raising my brows I asked, "Why do you think we will meet again?" My question brought a soft smile to her beautiful face, leaving me dazed for a moment before she uttered, "I just know...and believe me, next time I will have you uncover that mask and show me your face, Mister." ***** A/N:- Hmm~ Chapter 17- Reunion Chapter 17- Reunion The head maid Maria was in a dilemma. The other maids of the mansion were all grouped up in one ce in the middle of the night for a single reason. The Princess has yet to leave Kyle''s room. The suggestion to have dinner was immediately shot down and the maid who went to request tia to eat something returned with tears in her eyes. It was a well-known fact that in her poor mood, tia could be pretty lethal with her words as such not many people in the mansion dared to face thedy. "Your Highness seems angered like at that time when she found out about Kyle''s disappearance from the prison. Why does that useless butler always worry Princess?" One of the senior maids in charge of the cleaning department spat in a hateful tone. Many have witnessed that the only person in this mansion, that could influence tia''s mood to a severe level then it was that silver head good-for-nothing servant. Theint that the maid expressed was shared by many...however, Maria had a different view on this. Being the head maid of the mansion and someone who has served tia for more than ten years, Maria knows why Kyle is the only one who could influence herdy with his actions. ''They share the bond of friendship...a bond which cannot be reced or broken despite how much time passes.'' Was what Maria admires in her heart about the two children. Although Kyle was met with the worst fate by his own family members, tia has always been on his side ever since. She has been protecting and shielding Kyle ever since he was disowned by his family. And in the future as well, Maria hopes that their rtionship remains the same...or maybe, it could bloom into something more? Who knows. "Miss Maria?" Seeing the head maid rising on her feet, everyone turned silent and one of them asked in an uncertain voice. Turning toward them, she didn''t answer the question but rather conveyed a very valuable suggestion, "In my opinion, if you can''t see the connection between Your Highness and Kyle and keep on badmouthing him, I suppose, your journey mighte to an abrupt end." Narrowing her eyes with a soft smile extending her lips, she rified, "And no, I am talking about your journey as a maid....rather, your journey of life. It might be cut short, so beware." ***** "Any clue?" As Collen stood near the threshold of the room, tia asked in an indifferent voice...as if she already assumed his answer. And sadly, despite wanting to betray her expectations, Collen could only answer in denial, "No...nothing, as of now." Every part of the great forest around Belur was thoroughly examined. The town of Belur was not somewhere Kyle could approach without letting the town security know about his presence. Even so, Collen has deployed a small group of soldiers to search the town as well. However, all the reports he received from each group provided no clue about Kyle''s whereabouts. Maria looked worried as her hand which was feeding tia some porridge, halted mid-way. "Collen...have you checked the nearby dens of the monsters...just in case?" Maria''s voice trembled speaking those words. Just the mere thought of Kyle being taken by some Breboar as a food supply made her shiver in fret. Collen, this time, answered something that allowed tia and Maria to feel relieved. "We have checked every monster''s den and shelter which is above E-rank. Since most of the monsters were annihted earlier this month, it didn''t take long to check each one of the remaining ones. And none of those sites suggested any kind of confrontation." Although non-awakened, Kyle was a trained martial artist and knew how to handle himself in unfavorable situations. Collen himself has witnessed that. As such, it was highly unlikely that Kyle would ever confront an enemy which he couldn''t beat. "I guess it''s time." tia''s sudden movement startled Maria and alerted Collen as both of them saw her nearing the window and looking outside with a certain expression. The limit of her tolerance has been breached. She should have done this a little while ago already. She shouldn''t have waited for this long. Dying this might cause Kyle''s life...or maybe... ''No...this can''t be. The only one who can harm him is me...'' Seeing the youngdy taking off her gown, Collen immediately turned around. He wasn''t surprised, since he knew what she was about to do. And it was the same for Maria, who panicked upon realizing tia''s intentions. "Mydy...is that...really...necessary?" Maria''s question was quite foolish in tia''s eyes. If not now, then when? tia couldn''t depend on anyone else to bring Kyle back. Only she could do it. Without minding Maria''s panic, the girl slightly lifted her chemise and pushed her palm against the strange mark like a tattoo was drawn just below her belly button before it ignited with a crimson illumination. [A/N:- Chemise is like a shirt that medieval women wore under their gown to not let sweat patches appear on the gown. Or so what I found on the inte.] The binding vow between a servant and a master was triggered by tia. And wherever Kyle was at the moment, he would be forced to- "AHHHHHHH!" tia''s eyes widened as she assumed it would take some time for the ''Chains of very'' to bring Kyle to her. However, only a few seconds passed and the figure of her childhood friend appeared flying in her direction. There was no time to move as tia stood there spellbound. Kyle, on the other hand, couldn''t stop himself as he closed his eyes and crashed through the window before extending his arms and wrapping them around tia¡ªin an attempt to not hurt her. However, Kyle didn''t realize that the pulling effect of the chains had already disappeared the moment he arrived before tia, so there was no need for him to hug her suddenly. In response, tia stood there motionless with a whirlwind of emotions suddenly erupting within her consciousness and her shoulders, slumping in relief. Kyle kept his eyes closed while his arms never released tia''s soft and warm body. It almost felt like he had ridden a high rollercoaster and now was hugging his favorite plushie to calm his breathing. "This insolence..." Just as Collen heard the windows breaking, he turned around...only to find the princess currently intimately held by Kyle. However, before he could move to punish Kyle for this crime he had partaken in, Maria raised her hand and shook her head in denial. Collen frowned before he wordlessly asked the maid for the reason. With a smile, Maria pointed her finger toward a certain point. Collen squinted his eyes a little...only to realize why Maria stopped him. It wasn''t just Kyle embracing tia. The Princess, as well, needed Kyle. And that much could be deduced from the way she was clutching the hem of his shirt. Collen sighed before he nodded toward Maria and stepped out of the room followed by Maria. Once both were alone, and tia had somehow calmed down a little, she leaned her head and whispered something in his ear, that sent a shiver down his spine, "Kyle~I would like to hear everything about your little venture. And also, this strange scent you have brought along." ***** A/N:- Haah, these two.... While Kyle just only feels thankful toward tia, thetter seems to be developing something beyond just friendship. The divergence of the plot has begun and without realizing Kyle has begun drawing tia in his direction more than the original Kyle ever could have. I hope you guys liked the chapter. Let me know in thements. Chapter 18- Promise Chapter 18- Promise There was something odd about tia. We were currently sitting in my room with my mistress upying the bed and I sat on a chair while facing her. The atmosphere of the room has calmed down,pared to the time when I made that spectacr entry. I knew there was something like a ''very Mark'' on me but in the game, tia never used that, that''s why I never bothered with it. However, experiencing it for the first time today, I could say, running away from tia was not an option for me. Although I never intended to leave her...there mighte many circumstances where I need to be somewhere, away from her. And if tia calls me at those times using those chains...somehow, it was making me anxious a lot. However, given her current mood, I decided to not talk about that. "Mydy, I went to the western side of the Forest to train myself. I knew that the beasts on that side were more endurance-type and preferred nonviolence. As such, I thought they would be the" "Nonsense. You are lying." Her words didn''t surprise me. She knew me more than anyone in this world as such she wouldn''t need to even look at my hue to tell that I was fabricating a lie. Looking at her in the eye, with a warm look, I expressed, "Trust me , whatever I do is for your benefit." I dared call her that because it was only us in the room. Although tia was rude toward me and constantly reminded me how useless I was, it was all a pretense. She was a very kind soul at heart and always looked after Kyle. That was the reason why she went against her family to buy someone as useless as me as her ve. tia seemed a little taken aback. Given, I called her by her name after a long time, such a reaction was justifiable. However, she couldn''t just rest the case at this point either. "What benefit? And what are you even trying to aplish by risking your life again and again." For tia to say so many words...I was taken aback a little. However, hearing that concerned fueled voice I collected my thoughts and heaved a sigh. "As I have told you before, whatever I do is to ensure your safety and pave a better future for you." "But why? Shouldn''t you be hateful toward me after what I have made you go through? Even the torture you faced in the prison was because of me....yet...why are you like this?" The emotional outburst of the Princess...if her father knows about it, he might wage a war against me. Thedy was so invested in me because she has only a few people in life with whom she could be herself. Kyle is that shore for her, which relieves her from all the stress she umtes while trying to be the perfect daughter of the Emperor. ''But what is this feeling....why it seems...tia is not being herself...'' I decided to stop things here before tia could grow any more concerned for me. I didn''t want her to get attached to me too much. It would be lethal for both of us. Getting up from my seat, I bowed my head before apologizing, "For making mydy concerned and all the troubles I had caused, I ask for your forgiveness. I will ept any punishment which mydy deems appropriate." Suddenly shifting from a casual chat to a formal one...I knew I just had hurt tia. I knew she wanted to maintain her rtionship with me. And that rtionship doesn''t require formalities when we are alone. However, I didn''t want her to develop feelings any further. There woulde a point where if she doesn''t abandon me, and treads on the path of Light and Purity, then this world might get enshrouded in the shades of darkness forever. ''I feel like I am contradicting myself...'' On one side I wanted tia''s protection just in case my secret got revealed. And on the other hand, I want to keep an appropriate distance from her as well. What a strange creature I have be... From how I have acted just now, I was expecting her to return to her cold self. Worst, I was expecting her to actually punish me for not following her orders. However, "Kyle..." I instantly lifted my head hearing her voice from this close. And unlike what I expected, there was no trace of anger or indifference in her eyes. All I could gaze at was...concern. "I will arrange your training instructor and also the other necessary equipment here in Belur. But you have to promise me that you won''t go anywhere which can endanger your life." "..." I was...bbergasted. Was my disappearance that shocking for her? Does she value my life more than what I anticipated? What did I change, to earn such a gentle side of tia? Regardless, I cannot just turn my head away and lie to her now, can I? Releasing a heavy breath, I responded to her, "Understood. I will do as myd-" "No, not like that. Promise me as a friend that you will never risk yourself for me or any other reasons." Those determined eyes...that real side of tia which only I have the luxury to look at. How could I have lied to her... ", I promise you...I won''t do anything about which I am unsure of. I won''t deliberately risk my life for any reason. Is this good enough?" I couldn''t help smiling at her as I asked. A heart-melting smile, that could make anyone entranced, lifted the edges of her lips before tia nodded Seriously, how can such a sweet and warm person be hailed as the Ice Princess? ***** Just outside Kyle''s room, Maria was waiting for tia with a long shawl in her hand. For thedy of the mansion to wander in such an appearance was anything but appropriate. "Mydy, there is a high chance that Your Majesty might discover your presence in Kyle''s room, during nighttime. The consequences this time might be more server." Maria''s concern was not unwarranted and baseless. Knowing how extreme tia''s family could get when ites to her and the people surrounding the Princess, there was a high chance that they would do something to separate tia from Kyle. tia''s gaze sharpened upon hearing those words, however, her feet never halted as she responded, "How many maids and servants are there in the mansion?" "Twenty-eight, mydy." "Hmm..." tia remained silent for a moment before replying, "Excluding Kyle, call everyone to my room after breakfast." Maria was surprised to hear that tia''s resolve was more leaning toward dealing with others rather than distancing herself from Kyle. The maid couldn''t help but smile at the youngdy who seemed to have decided that who mattered to her most. ''I will pray for your happiness, mydy.'' **** A/N:- Ah, don''t just start disliking Kyle. He knows the plot and kinda panicking because of the future. However, once he falls for her, he would even change the unchangeable future and make God kneel before him, to be with her. (I am not joking.) Drop ament. Chapter 19- Contract Chapter 19- Contract "*Huff*." My breathing was quite disoriented as I somehow held the wooden staff in my hand with its tip facing the person standing as my opponent. Sweat dropped off my already-drenched body like I was standing under a shower however, none of it bothered me. My whole focus remained on my rival against whom I had battling for the past two hours with the hope ofnding a single strike on him. My body has incurred thirteen major wounds. Although it was only me who was on the receiving end for the most part, it couldn''t be said that I was ''overwhelmed''. After all, keeping the militarymander at his edge all the time and forcing him to use not only his hands but his wooden sword against me as well was not a small feat in my eyes. "I am hoping the next one will be better," Collen called out in his usual calm voice. However, the tiny droplet of sweat sliding down his cheek signifies that he wasn''t all unaffected by the battle. ''From what I could see, he is continuously using magic to keep himself cool...'' Not something I couldin about since being awakened he could do this much in a mock battle against a non-awakened. ''Let''s see...attacking his nondominant side would get me something simr to a body m or possibly he would abandon using his sword and choke m me like before. His feet are unreachable because of his vignce...then the answer is!'' Iunched myself forward my body a little tilted to the front. I held the staff from near its base before swinging it in an arc from right to left. However, as I expected, Collen parried it using his sword easily before raising his left leg to deliver a front kick on my abdomen. At that precise moment, I released my weapon, and using my both hands I grabbed Collen''s offered leg by his ankle somehow. Seizing the opportunity I lifted his leg and kicked the other one, to throw him off bnce. *Thud* "Hmm?" With me pinning down my enemy, I thought this much do for a victory...however, the moment I fell on Collen with him underneath, I realized something crucial. I had missed the fact that he had a sword with him. "Can you see where is this pressed?" He called out to me while moving his wooden sword against my neck. "If I hadn''t controlled my weight and moved the sword at the right time, even this one would have damaged your vocal cords." I gulped in nervousness. He was right. I was too reckless with my body m. I slowly got up from him with my hands raised. "I lost." There was no point in asserting my dominance or struggling here since if he wanted, Collen could have ended the battle easily back then when I grabbed his leg. Collen smoothly got up on his feet as he said, "Although I am surprised to see that you aren''t over-reliant on your weapon, abandoning it without a foolproof follow-up would be lethal in a battle." I nodded to him and noted his words mentally. Collen was someone who had served in the military for some years and recognizing his dedication and talent, the Emperor decided to make him the bodyguard of someone whom the Emperor values more than his own life. For someone like me to get instruction from Collen...I could only thank tia for her kindness. ''Talking about her...'' My eyes roamed toward the mansion where tia was. For some reason, she didn''t tell me to apany her to breakfast and sent me off with Collen. "Where is your focus?!" "Ou..." I rubbed my forehead, which was flicked just now before my training continued. ******* Inside the mansion, after breakfast, tia has called every maid and butler in the dining space for some reason. Although she knew it was hopeless, she had to try. Standing beside the Princess was the head maid while the others lined up horizontally some meters apart while facing their mistress. Radolf was also present amongst the servants since, despite not being selected as tia''s personal butler, he was still allowed to work in the mansion. Every single servant present here was highly trained and background-checked by the central ministry. Inparison to them, Radolf was the youngest and most valuable one here. He has an affinity with elemental magic and is a highly trained servant. Adding his charms and sociable skills, he was a perfect candidate to present himself as Princess tia''s servant. However...if only a person named Kyle didn''t exist. "This meeting was called forth to ascertain your loyalty toward thedy. As you all must know by now, the person you are liable to answer and report is Your Highness, Princess tia. And mydy doesn''t want that rule to be breached by any one of you present here." The head maid Maria dered the reason behind this sudden summoning. She made it clear through her words, that the people serving tia shall only be ountable to report to her. Those servants who have been regrly writing to the central ministry about the status report of thedy sweated profusely. Three people to be precise, looked extremely nervous, however, their training as a professional servant allowed them to not let their anxiety show up. tia could see that many of the servants seemed ufortable and nervous under her gaze, however, she couldn''t just remove them. Even if she does, a new slot would be sent by her father and the cycle would continue until the nth period. Rather she came up with another strategy, "I suppose everyone present here, holds utmost allegiance toward me?" Her frosty voice made many shudder in fret. However, the content of her query didn''t allow them to remain silent. Soon everyone either affirmed her question with a nod or a brief answer. A very thin smile lifted the left side of her lips, which was concerning in every possible manner. Turning toward Maria, ria spoke in a voice that was neither too loud nor too dim....just enough to let the others realize what her question originally meant. "Maria." Hearing her mistress'' words, Maria nodded before walking forward with a stack of papers in her hand. Handing one to each of them, tia inwardly enjoyed their shocked and dreadful reaction as they read the content of the Soul Contract. "M-Mydy?" "T-this...h-how...this?" "Ehhhh?" A Soul Contract binds one''s soul to the contract. If the signatory doesn''t fulfill what is promised, then they have to pay with their life. And the contract tia presented, clearly signified that any information rted to tia and Kyle shouldn''t be shared with anyone. Directly or not. Also, contacting the central ministry was forbidden by the servants as well. Although it was a temporary measure, tia couldn''t think of any other solution.....unless she talks to her father directly. Reading the contract, the first person to sign it was Radolf which greatly surprised others. Turning his focus toward tia, he said something that was far more surprising than his previous action, "Your Highness, since the opportunity has arrived, I humbly request a mock battle against Kyle to demonstrate my abilities and suitability to serve as your personal attendant." ***** A/N:- Die. Chapter 20- Desire for Alatia Chapter 20- Desire for tia It was a coincidence that the moment Radolf was making the demand to have a battle with me, I walked in. There was something strange about those parchments which every servant of the mansion was holding. Their reaction told me so. However, my focus remained on tia and Radolf at the moment as I waited for her response. I knew Radolf was sent here as a substitute butler for tia after the news of my disappearance red up. However, I didn''t realize his desire to serve tia was so persistent that he would even bet his life on it. After all, talking to tia in that manner was something like an invitation to death. "Oh, Chief Collen. Here, can you verify the credibility of this document?" Suddenly, Radolf''s focus shifted toward the person standing beside me before he advanced and handed a scroll to Collen. By Collen''s demeanor, I could tell that he also didn''t like the way Radolf was acting in front of tia. But he chose to first look at the scroll which had the central ministry seal on it. Unfolding the scroll he began to read it, and so did I. ''...damn.'' I couldn''t exin how amazed I was upon reading the content. The permission for Radolf to duel against me for the position of tia''s personal attendant was allowed by the central administration and the Prime Minister. ''He got himself some support.'' Collen soon walked toward tia and respectfully presented the agreement to her. Her facial expression didn''t shift upon reading the texts...but the way frost began to appear around the parchment and even the room temperature went down by several degrees, I could tell that she was upset. The chandelier in the dining space began to sway and the cutlery began to tremble under the fierce aura she was radiating. Those, from the staff unit, who could sense mana, had a paleplexion as they shivered in fret. However, surprisingly, Radolf held his stance bravely without a single sign of terror. ''I wonder at what stage his Elemental Magic has reached...'' It was given that Radolf was not stronger than tia...or forget about her. Before tia there was Collen who would ughter Radolf any moment tia demanded. Yet, Radolf seems unfazed by the presence of him or any other threat. ''Remarkable...nope, foolishness.'' Contempt makes people blind. And Radolf has already reached that stage where he would choose rather to die than live with his pride tarnished. "Mydy." I didn''t know how and why I called out for her but I felt that if I didn''t soothe her anger, tia might freeze everyone present here to death. Collen immediately stepped aside to give me space as I stood close to tia. "I ept his challenge." *Crack* The parchment which had already turned into an ice ss, broke under her brute force as tia turned her face in my direction. The frown made her look beautiful but it wasn''t her face where my focus remained for long. Taking out a handkerchief from my pocket I stepped closer and took her left hand in my hold. Securing her delicate hand which has a small cut in the fabric, I whispered to her, "Please trust me ." My voice only reached her, and the expression she wore hearing my words could be easily interpreted as ''Unfair''. I have noticed that whenever I switch from being a Butler to a Best friend, she can''t resist me. Although it was evil to ckmail her in this way, I discerned this was the only method to solve this situation. Her small nose blew heavy breaths, through which she showed her displeasure against my underhanded tactics. However, as I extended a gentle smile to her, it rendered the princess helpless. Soon she turned her eyes back to Radolf, however, all her annoyance morphed into in indifference. "You are challenging Kyle, I allow that. However, the victor would be decided by me." Radolf''s answer was swift, "I humbly ept your terms, Your Highness." Again...that unexpected way of talking. This time, I wasn''t able to control my facial expression from contouring. Collen''s hand went to his sword as he growled, "Watch your tongue or next time it will be detached along with your head." Radolf bowed to that but didn''t express that he was apologetic. ''...there is something about Radolf, which isn''t right....'' I had the feeling but I didn''t want to dwell on it before the battle. ***** All the servants were told to resume their work and the only people who followed me and Radolf to the backside of the mansion were, Maria and Collen along with mydy. There were guards stationed around the training ground as per Collen''s call but they were merely there to protect tia if the confrontation somehow affected her. Just before I was about to enter the arena, tia handed me something. "...consume it if necessary." It was a vial of recovery potion. I took the container with a surprised look. However, tia didn''t bother answering me about why she was suggesting me to cheat in the battle. Regardless, I wasn''t going to reject her kindness so after putting the vial in my pocket I marched toward where Collen and Radolf stood. Radolf was holding a grimoire in his hand with no weapon whatsoever. I had my usual favorite wooden spear in hold since this was a mock battle. Collen, who was our match referee called out the rules, "Lethal attacks are prohibited. Any spell or physical assault that could leave permanent injury on your opponent is restricted. Render your opponent unconscious and make them surrender to win this duel." With his eyes turning steel cold he concluded, "If either of you break any of the rules, I will end this battle through force. That''s all." My eyes sized up Radolf as Collen stepped back to announce themencement. From what I know, Radolf was an excellent mage who had proficiency with the aqua element. The reason why he was chosen to be tia''s personal attendant must be because of his skills. As such I needed to be on high alert. I wasn''t sure how strong he was in closebat but remembering ourst confrontation I could tell that it was easy to provoke him. ''I just need to draw him in andnd a powerful blow...'' I knew it was an easier-said-than-done situation, but I couldn''t run away from this. Radolf was one of the easiest threats I need to face to secure a safe future. Taking deep breaths, I readied myself and faced my adversary. Radolf stood in a straight posture with his grimoire held behind his back. The air seemed to have taken a sudden halt in that precise moment, as suddenly, the sound of air shing resonated in my ears followed by Collen''s call, "Begin!" ***** While a battle between two young men began in Belur, someone from the capital just entered the carriage andmanded the coach to depart. The man had pretty blond hair and ocean-like eyes. His charming face could make even his enemy adore him and his sitting posture signified that he was a bonafide noble. "Master, would it be really fine to visit Your Highness without any prior notice?" The maid sitting across the man, who addressed him as ''Master'', asked in a hesitant voice. In response to that, the man grinned and replied without any hesitation, "She is my little sister. I have all the right to meet her whenever I desire." The maid looked ufortable, but she uttered it anyway, "...I hope Master wouldn''t do anything reckless to conjure youngdy''s displeasure." The man, or to say, the second Prince of Valenchide, grinned in response but didn''t say anything. Even if tia gets mad at him, it won''t matter. After all, he was her brother...her family. And against a mere butler, it was given that she would choose her brother. ''It''s time for me to assess that person myself.'' ***** A/N:- sis-con alert? Well, her whole family is like that. Drop ament if you are excited about the battle. Chapter 21- Sacrificed Chapter 21- Sacrificed [tia''s POV:] Kyle is getting a little too cocky these days. Just now I was going to refuse the proposal of this battle since thepetitors were not even evenly matched. From what I have heard from Collen, I knew Kyle is a formidable fighter until his opponent is a nonmagician. And even if it is a magic user, he would be able to deal with a low-ranking magician with the help of some artifact. However, Radolf was a bonafide magician who had been trained under one of the retired professors of Starfall Academy. Although I am not certain, from what I have obtained from my observations, Radolf was at least in his third awakening. It means he can conjure a three-diagram spell that carries the destruction power to plummet a small town. Someone like Radolf can get easily admitted to the Starfall Academy as a student but he is stuck up with the stubbornness to serve me. Quite foolish and delusional that person is. "Collen, what is your invocation time?" Standing beside me was the security in charge who might be the only one in this mansion that could defeat me. If a threat looms on Kyle I want the best person to defend him. "Two dot three seconds, mydy." "Hmm...when Imand, stop the match immediately."Collen is almost two seconds faster than me when ites to magic initialization. "Understood, mydy." My gaze narrowed at the battlefield. I didn''t say anything after that. Kyle and Radolf stood there in silence with Collen marching toward them to start the duel. Although I was a little worried about Kyle''s safety, I wasn''t going to turn down his decision to battle Radolf and make his position as my butler, permanent. Kyle is...fighting to be with me. ******* [Kyle''s POV:] "Begin!" The moment I heard the deration, I marched toward my enemy with my weapon held from its middle. I unleashed my speed without restraint, and in an instant, I stood before Radolf. My spearhead hovered mere inches from his chest, intending to incapacitate him with a single strike. However, the moment my eyesnded on his curved lips, I felt something approaching me from beneath. *SHUAAAA* I deftly evaded the surging water erupting from the ground with enough force to topple a medium-sized tree in its wake. I jumped back and regained my footing. The water that drenched me was making my clothes heavy...but not enough to restrain my movements. I chewed on my lower lip before dashing toward my left, nking Radolf and intending to attack him again. However, my feet soon slid across the muddy field as I witnessed the vacant spot where Radolf stood once. "Fall." My ears received amand and the next moment I found myself jumping forward. *BOOOM* The ground where I had stood was now marked by a small crater, formed by a concentrated stream of water that could easily fit inside a water tube. The stream was so precisely directed and dense that it created a web-like pattern of force around the crater. *Ba* *Dum* *Ba* *Dum* My heart leaped in beats as I again dodged another attack from my adversary while trying to detect his location. ''Wait...these streams are descending from the sky....which means!'' Leaping forward while using my spear as a pole, I got myself enough time to assess the high-rising fountain that Radolf created initially to defend against my attack. There he stood, on top of the geyser with an aloof expression on his face and his grimoirezily held in his hand. By his stance and the way he was waving at me upon finding my eyes on him...it was clear as day that he was trying to rile me up. ''If only I could have used Beta...'' The moment I reach him this farce would be over. However, using those cursed dolls here would be nothing but ridiculous. The use of Cursed magic was prohibited amongst humans and no one was exempted from that rule. "Meteor fall!" Hearing Radolf''s voice I realized what he was going to do. I have seen this spell in the game as well. Although it''s called ''fall'', the meteor of water would emerge from the ground. As such, there wouldn''t be any ce I could run to. ....however, if I could detect from where the meteor is about to emerge. *BOOOM* *BOOOM* One after another, manyrge boulder-like aqua meteors began emerging from the ground and rising toward the sky. This was the first phase of the Meteor fall¡ªa third-degree spell. They rise high in the air one after another before following the nature of the spell name and raining down on the surface like a meteor shower. I was continuously on a run while minimally avoiding the boulders. My arms and body have received numerous bruises by now but I wasn''t paying attention to it. ''Beta!'' I called forth the secondary doll before. I felt it attaching to my chest. It may have been foolish, I admit. Yet, as the only option left, I closed my eyes and surrendered to the guidance of ''Astral Vision'' to navigate through the onught. The next ce from where the bluish-green fragment was about to emerge was about fifty meters to my left. I didn''t think twice before charging toward it. *BOOOM* Like a canon, the ground shattered and a water boulder emerged from the ground with me, on top of it "Huh?!" I heard someone eximing but I didn''t have the time to bother with it. Consciously, Radolf cannot manipte the meteors. He can only set a perimeter and hope for the target to fall for the trap. That''s why, the moment I ascended high enough and leaped toward him, his face went extremely pale. My physical strength was higher than any average-enhanced soldier. That''s why leaping more than seventy meters to target the prey was not a big feat. However, what I didn''t anticipate was, "Aqual!" I forgot that a mage can chant numerous spells at the same time if they are experienced enough. And for Radolf to conjure a simple water ball spell was nothing to be amazed about. "Khuk!!" My chest was mmed by the water ball and air was knocked out of my lungs. Mid-air it was impossible for me to dodge that. "Kyle!" It may be my imagination but I think I heard tia''s voice as I fell backward¡ªallowing gravity to pull me back to the ground. However, it wasn''t just me who was falling. "Ehehe~" I couldn''t help grinning with my eyes half closed as I saw the water spring on which Radolf was standing, disappearing in an instant and Radolf falling to the ground along with me... ...with his chest pierced with the spear I threw at him. ''I can''t dodge your attack...but that doesn''t mean I can''t attack you either....'' The moment I realized that I wouldn''t be able to reach Radolf, I threw my spear with all my strength. Resulting, *Dhak* *Dhak* Our bodies fell to the ground from almost twenty feet height. I felt the bones of my left arm and somewhere around my lower back cracking at the impact. However, Radolf''s condition was worse than mine. "KHUOOOKKK!!" He grunted in agony and puked a lot of blood. I had the option to consume the potion which tia gave me. However, I decided otherwise and slowly lifted myself from the ground. "Agh...I...I am good..." I gestured toward tia while slowly advancing toward Radolf. tia was on the verge of losing it, however, seeing me get up helped her calm down a little. I slowly made my way toward Radolf who was bleeding from his chest and head. However, given the durability of a magic user and also the presence of healers in the mansion, I knew he would recover from these wounds in no time. I have deliberately targeted his right chest te to avoid wounding him fatally. "..I..guess *cough* this is my victory..." As I stood while looking down at him, I stated the obvious. Radolf parted his lips to say something with a pained expression contouring his face. I waited for him to either curse me or probably ept his defeat. What? At least I can hope, right? However, soon an evil grin extended his lips and dark miasma began radiating around the boy. I knew this sensation. I could feel this. This was Curse Magic. The same source with which my cursed dolls are made. The ominous sensation enwrapped Radolf as I instinctively stepped back and saw his body repairing itself at an inhumane pace. ''This is so not good...'' Radolf was an asshole I knew...but to think he would sacrifice his humanity to defeat me?! Ridiculous! "You think..you can win against me? Do you think you have the right to take the spot beside tia?!" As he spat those words, his figure levitated in the air and his blood-red eyes gazed at me with nothing but hatred, "Are you worthy to even breathe in the same air as her?! You, a non-awakened trash who was-Khuk!!" The trash-talking came to a sudden end as a golden sword pierced Radolf from behind. Before Radolf could have looked behind his back to realize who stabbed him, his body was shredded into pieces... ....literally. And with that, the small episode of Butler vs Butler came to an end. Phew. ***** A/N:- Drop ament. Chapter 22- Break up Chapter 22- Break up The battle between Radolf and Kyle came to a dramatic end within ten minutes aftermencement. For the most part, it seemed Radolf was overwhelming the battlefield. He maintained his distance from Kyle, knowing that thetter''s strength lies in closebat. This much was under expectation, that''s why no one seemed surprised, except for tia. However, rather than surprise she was concerned for Kyle¡ªwhich no one was able to sense from her indifferent expression. "Should I stop this, mydy?" The moment Radolf invoked the ''Meteor Fall'' Collen suggested. Meteor Fall wasn''t a third-degree spell just for show. It contains the destructive power to swallow a small town and leave nothing but rubble behind. Although Radolf limited the range of the attack, it was a fact that the person to whom this spell was directed, wouldn''t be able to survive. The risk was high, and there was a potential threat for Kyle to lose his life as well. However, "Wait...not now." tia wanted to believe in Kyle and not interfere in the battle. If she finds the situation taking a lethal turn, she will use her connection with Kyle to protect him. Collen, naturally, didn''t disobey her orders and stayed behind. He had a feeling that Radolf would end the match without receiving a single attack. However, the security chief was proven wrong soon. "Hmm?!" Collen''s eyes bulged slightly as he watched Kyle getting struck by the water ball mid-air. However, the reason why he was shocked and there was a proud smile on tia''s lips, derives from the fact that it wasn''t only Kyle who was falling to the ground. ''...I suppose Kyle understood what I said earlier...'' Collen, an hour ago, exined to Kyle that he should only throw his weapon when he is sure of victory. And gazing at Radolf''s current condition, Collen felt that his teaching had significantly affected Kyle. However, what urred next was something no one expected. Someone who was sent by the central ministry to serve the First Princess, was actually a Curse User. This very fact shows the loopholes in the administration and assessment. "Mydy, with due respect." tia nodded without a second thought before Collen appeared right behind Radolf and finished off the abomination before it could harm Kyle. The situation was handled in such a swift manner, that not only Kyle but the other soldiers guard were also awestruck. However, none of it affected tia, as with her gaze narrowed she stared at Kyle and left the training ground soon after. ***** [Kyle''s POV:] I was given a recovery and healing potion after the battle with Radolf...ah,te Radolf. The news of Radolf abandoning humanity and demonizing himself must have already reached the Emperor''s ears. Now, it all depends on how he reacts to this situation. Collen has taken the responsibility to investigate Radolf''s case and find out how he got involved with Cursed Magic in the first ce. The security around the mansion has increased and half of the soldiers from the Belur town were now stationed around the mansion. I should have returned to my room and rest early since I was injured. However, the room where I currently was, belonged to the person I serve. And the most concerning part, We are all alone. "Don''t move." tia''s soft and warm hand held my bare shoulder, firmly as she red at me. I am currently sitting in the same spot where she sleeps every night. My upper body was fully exposed and only a knee-length lower was covering my body. My back rested on the headboard while my stretched-out legs remained rxed on thefortable bed. tia was sitting at the edge of the bed with her legs hanging down. Her fingers on the right hand were coated with a greenish gel which relieves the pain. Although I consumed the potion, some injuries and bruises require time to recover. I wasn''t nning to apply any balm on it...until tia summoned me andmanded me to strip. When I think about it, tia isn''t the kind of girl who would blush and be embarrassed to see a boy of the same age as her, naked. She is a cool beauty who has a huge fan base because of her indifferent disposition. tia doesn''t see me as a man¡ªwas what I deduced after seeing her reaction. Well, how I felt about it was something I didn''t contemte about. "Sss..." I hissed a little as her fingers pressed against the dark spot on my corbone. I incurred that injury when he sted me with that water ball while I was in mid-air. "Does it hurt?" Her unusually soft voice reached my ears before I nodded. "Hurts...and burns...." tia suddenly nearly her lips to my injury and blew softly over it. The distance between us was mere inches as she blew over the injury to soothe the burning. However, I wasn''t able to pay attention to it. tia...was a charming girl. Like a fairy. Her long golden eyshes fluttered every time she blinked. Her rosy lips stole my attention for the most part. Her violet eyes moved around my wound, dictating how concerned she was for me. And the overwhelming and intoxicating fragrance she was emanating just turned my mind numb. Her focus shifted from the injury to my eyes, which were already affixed to her. The distance between our faces was a finger long and the tension in the air was heavier than a boulder. For a moment, her soft and supple lips were everything I could see. My heart was probably beating faster than how it was during the battle. The urge to throw away my caution and embrace this beauty surged in my consciousness...however, "I think this much is enough for now." I lowered my head and whispered. There was nothing that could happen between us. I was tia''s butler and I need to remember this fact. I didn''t see what face tia made before I rolled toward the other side of the bed and hopped off. "Then...I will be taking my leave." Picking my shirt I draped it over my shoulders before bowing to her. When I was leaving, she never stopped me. Whether she was offended or relieved by my action remained a mystery. Once I exited the room, I couldn''t help muttering under my breath, "Seriously...what am I..." ***** The next few days went in silence. I was performing all my jobs as a butler and training with Collen side by side. However, the only significant difference was tia''s indifferent attitude in my presence even when we were alone. It felt like...she was hurt by my actions. She not only never called for me for anything, but she also barely looked in my direction. It felt like I was also just a butler in her eyes now. The friendship we had, seemed to have disappeared after what I did. Naturally, I was troubled by thisplication I had created, however, before I could talk to her in private, suddenly someone from the capital arrived at the mansion. "Oh, my~How beautiful my sister has be in these few months." The person who was holding tia''s hand and fawning over her was her elder brother. However, what bothered me was the long side nce he extended toward me. ''....I have a bad feeling about this...'' ***** A/N:- Sorry for the long break. I will prepare an extra SS for this small separation between the two and also add both tia''s and Kyle''s perspectives in that chapter. Drop ament. Chapter 23- Why? Chapter 23- Why? "Mydy, should I serve a fresh cup of tea?" "Ah, no. It''s alright." I was woken up from my stupor by Maria''s call. It wasn''t the first time today that I spaced out, out of nowhere. Being a princess and a warrior, this behavior of mine was not eptable, however, I couldn''t help myself. ...something happened between me and Kyle yesterday. As a girl, I should be more interested in topics like romance and marriage¡ªmy mother and some acquaintances used to tell me back then, when I used to live in the capital. However, I held nothing particr in concern that could divert me from my goal. I didn''t want to involve myself in love and romance since the focus of my life was something far greater and significant. However, yesterday...I felt something for Kyle. I ept that it was me who invited him into my room and told him to strip since I wanted to apply ointment to his wounds...however, never did I anticipated that there woulde a moment when I would present my vulnerable self to Kyle. ...in that particr moment when our faces were inches apart, I was fine having my lips taken by Kyle. For a princess, a noblewoman, and a maiden to have such thoughts....I should have been ashamed of myself. Even Kyle wore a dark grey aura around him that signified guilt. It seemed he understood the gravity of the matter and held himself before we could have crossed that ultimate line. Ever since that incident urred and Kyle was taken captive, I have begun to develop something for him...which I cannot tell anyone. However, the sad part¡ªKyle doesn''t see me in the same way. Or more like, other than his master he doesn''t see me as a woman at all. I don''t know how I should be feeling about this realization and how should I act around Kyle. That''s why I have been keeping my distance from him since yesterday. ''I hope this lifts the weight off my chest...'' ***** "Mydy, should I brush your hair?" The next day early in the morning, Kyle appeared in my room with a gentle smile on his face His aura was once again greenish blue, which signifies admiration and respect. I stood up from the bed before telling him, "Don''te to my room in the morning from now on. I have told Maria to help me dress up." ...it hurts. When I said those words, it felt a tight knot choked my heart and nearly stopped me mid-sentence. The expression he had upon hearing my words, made me feel even moreplicated. Those droopy and sad eyes...I didn''t want to look at them or I might.... "I understood, mydy. Please excuse me." I clenched my fist and restricted myself from stopping him. Seeing the closed door from where he left just now...I felt the weight over my chest only elevating. ''....what am I supposed to do?'' ****** [Two dayster] ''The steak is too dry...'' While slicing the meat I felt my mood worse than it was in the afternoon. However, there has been nothing happening these days that could worsen my mood. All my sses and training sessions were moving phenomenally and today I even seeded in chanting a Third-grade spell without fortifying myself with my angelic powers. If anything, I should have been celebrating this asion, just as Maria and Collen suggested...however, whatever I do I just couldn''t find myself satisfied. Ah...now I realize... "Where is Kyle?" I asked Maria, who was standing behind me, to provide me if I needed anything. Normally it should have been Kyle standing in her ce, but tonight, he wasn''t present in the dining hall. ....is he sick? Or maybe went to hunt alone again? Or maybe he was too tired? Although I tried assuming every possible reason for his absence, I could have never expected the actual reason. "Kyle said that in his presence, Your Highness can''t eat properly and feels ufortable, that''s why he decided to stay in his room during Your Highness'' meals." *Clink* The fork from my hand dropped on the te upon hearing Maria. My eyes remained affixed to the empty chair in front of me. A cluster of thoughts was born in my head at that moment. ...Kyle''s presence affecting me that much? Why did I never notice? "Mydy, forgive my audacity, but has anything transpired between you and Kyle? I couldn''t help but notice that both you and Kyle appear somewhat distressed and sad ofte." "Sad? Kyle is?" "Indeed, mydy." ...I don''t know why, but hearing that Kyle is also feeling sad because of the sudden gap I have created between us.... makes me happy. "Mydy?" "It''s nothing." I think it''s not only me who feels theseplicated emotions...Kyle is the same as me. ***** [Next day] "It''s look pretty, mydy." *Ba* *dum* Although I knew he was approaching, my heart just spiked hearing his voice. I didn''t allow my finger to make a mistake on the painting as I responded, "You think? Well, I am not satisfied." ....what was I saying? Isn''t this the best painting I have ever made? Then why do I have to be so irritable in front of Kyle?! "I am awestruck by your talent, mydy. In my eyes, there could have been nothing more perfect than this." *Krik* The painting brush in my hand cracked. Reason? His formal tone just irked me. "Forget about it...I am no longer in the mood to paint anymore..." I grabbed the canvas from the middle and tore the sheet away before crumbling it. Throwing the sheet away I went toward the table where all the painting equipment rested. Suddenly, my eyes got the figure of Kyle, crouching down and picking up the sheet that I had just thrown. Getting up, he slowly began to unfold the sheet with a soft smile on his face. "...what are you doing?" Since I discarded something, as my servant shouldn''t he have gotten rid of it? Then why that smile? "It''s the second time has finished a painting...and I am truly lucky to have the second one all for myself as well." *Ba* *Dum* ...he remembers it. The first painting I made was back when I was just ten years old and started learning painting. That painting was just of a simple flower that I gifted Kyle. I was not very good at painting, and when a single flower came out better than all my failed attempts, I gifted it to my best friend. ...I didn''t know that Kyle would have that stupid flower with him all this time. Why is he like this? Why did he call me '''' just now? Didn''t he want to treat me like just as hisdy? Didn''t he want to just admire me? Then why did he make my heart race every time? Why does he keep doing things that keep me awake all night? And when I fall asleep why does he appear even in my dreams? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? "?" I didn''t ask why he was so shocked before I advanced toward him and held his cor with my trembling hands. The tears welling in my eyes could no longer be suppressed as I red at him. I just wanted to know...what does he feel about me? For the first time, I did not want to believe my skill to judge someone''s feelings toward me. I want to hear from him how he sees me. However, before I could have uttered anything, Maria reported something entirely unexpected from the threshold of the room, "Mydy, Your Highness Prince Edmund has arrived!" ***** A/N:- I won''t mention it in chapters most probably: Because of her emotional instability, tia, unconsciously conjured her angelic wings, making Kyle, momentarily stunned. Chapter 24- Reward Chapter 24- Reward tia has three brothers and all of them are older than her. Being the only sister, tia was pampered like a true princess by not just her parents but her brothers as well. And no, their affection doesn''t originate from tia''s divine powers; they have liked her ever since she opened her eyes and bewitched everyone with her cuteness. They adore her a little too unconditionally and always are there when tia needs them. It was surprising that when tia fell unconscious that day I wasn''t executed immediately on the suspicion of poisoning the princess. Maybe it was the affection tia has shown toward me that, even her father hesitated before finishing me off. However, her affection couldst only that long. Now, that I am standing under the gaze of Prince Edmund, I realize how much he and the other members of his family, resent me. The reason behind the sudden arrival of the Prince remains a mystery but I have a feeling that this sudden appearance is somehow rted to me. "I can see that you are doing great tia. How about you training?" Sitting in the reception hall were the two nobles and two servants. Behind Your Highness, Edmund stood a brte woman whose name I recalled to be Cassie. She is his personal attendant and there were rumors that he has been secretly dating her. Well, there was not much information about him in the game so I couldn''t be sure. Now, behind Princess tia stood me...someone who has been avoided by tia these days. However, given what happened between us some minutes ago, I mustered my courage and stood as tia''s personal attendant. tia doesn''t seem offended...however, I could see that she was restless. "I am doing fine, brother. Then, can I dare ask your purpose for visiting me just a few months before my enrollment?" Straightforward as ever¡ªwas how I perceived Edmund''s expression as he rested the teacup on the saucer and leaned forward. cing the cup on the table he sighed and looked at tia with droopy eyes ''....damn...I can see a Shoujo protagonist right here...'' I hid my musing and heard the Prince uttering in a pitiful voice, "Can''t Ie to see my sister without any reason?" "No." ''...ouch.'' Even I would have been hurt hearing such a blunt response without even a single muscle on her face twitching. It felt like she didn''t even need to think twice before answering. However, the way Cassie didn''t react to this small exchange, shows howmon it was for tia to treat her family in this manner. Edmund slumped on his seat in defeat before he asked, "I thought my arrival would make my sister jump in joy...but I was wrong. Well, forget about it." tia? Jump in joy? Is he really talking about his sister? Or was that his wishful thinking? Regardless, suddenly, the air around Edmund shifted and momentarily his eyes traveled toward me. Without having a clear vision of tia, I could tell that her expression must have shifted as well. ...she didn''t look in a great mood. "The reason why I arrived here before your enrollment was to ensure which servant would be taking care of my princess sister in the academy." "Shouldn''t this be already clear to everyone? Apart from Kyle, I won''t even consider taking anyone with me." Mydy....*sniff* Edmund didn''t give any indication that could tell that he was offended, but surely, his demeanor oozed with objection. Hopping on his feet, he advanced...not toward tia but me. "I suppose your obsession with him only originates from your friendship not because of his skills and passion toward his duties, right?" I didn''t have any particr reaction to that since he was, in a way, right. There was no distinctive feature about me that could make me stand out. I was far from the best butler to serve the first princess of the Empire. So, Edmund was right. If not for her affection toward me, then I might have been serving some old dude as a ve. ''....makes me shiver...'' "How wrong can you be, dear brother?" With her arms crossed and a calm smile spreading her lips, tia got up. That challenging smile made me want to stop her...but I couldn''t. "How can you assume that Kyle, someone who knows me better than anyone, wouldn''t be the best to serve me? Someone I feelfortable with and someone who can share my grief and happiness...in a way, I feel lucky to have Kyle as my servant." tia...are you nning to make me cry in front of Royal Highness? Or worse...are you tempting me to hug you again?! "Someone who can share your grief huh...I wonder when this guy became so close to you." My hand suddenly went towards the dagger as I felt a sharp killing intent directed toward me. However, then I realized my mistake. Before I could pull out my dagger, a thin single-edged sword was already pressed against my neck and the suppleness of a woman''s breast was pressing against my back. ...it was, undoubtedly, Cassie. I couldn''t trace her movements. Haah, she might be on par with Collen in terms of physical stats. As expected of the bodyguard of the Prince. "Sir Kyle, I request you to mind your actions in front of Your Highness-" Her sentence didn''t reach the full stop as suddenly the temperature of the room began to drop and the sword she held was covered with ice. "You...whoever you are, step away from him right now." ....that must have hurt, tia. She probably can be your future sister-inw. Regardless, as Edmund nodded, Cassie pulled away her sword and bowed, "Excuse my impudence, Your Highness." She said that, but she didn''t mean it. Regardless, the temperature of the room returned. Finding the opportunity I asked, "Mydy, can I voice my thoughts?" She raised her brows as it seemed she was going to argue with her brother all alone. However, she didn''t reject my initiative and nodded, "Go ahead." I pulled my sleeves and corrected my posture before stepping forward. I wasn''t intimidated by Prince''s wariness since my desire to serve tia was far stronger. "Your Highness, I am aware of your concerns and all your reasons are pretty valid. After all, I was brought up as a noble until some years ago before I began serving My Lady. Not having proper training as a butler and being non-awakened, surely makes me unworthy to serve the Princess." The look in his eyes told me that he agreed with everything I said and didn''t want to hear what I was about to say. However, "But, my lord, I assure you, that until I am alive I would never allow any harm to reach tia. If you want, I can even form a soul contract of my loyalty." "Ah..." "Huh?" "~~~!" Three reactions from three people. Cassie and tia were vocal with their reaction but not the Prince. He just looked at me with his brows raised, seemingly intrigued. I could tell that tia was about to interject, but suddenly it was the Prince who spoke up, "Kuku...interesting. I never anticipated such amitment from you. " With his gaze narrowed he continued, "However, shallow words wouldn''t be enough to show your worth, Kyle. For the next ten days, I would be staying in this mansion and monitoring your work-" "No, thanks. You don''t need to." tia''s bone-freezing voice left the Prince speechless with his lips still parted. Wow...she doesn''t even hesitate to insult him. "Dear sister, please let me finish first." Coughing he looked back at me before continuing, "Once I ensure that Kyle is an appropriate servant for my sister, I will grant you a reward. A reward which will make even a non-awakened invincible." I raised my brows in surprise. This never happened in the game, so maybe it''s a trap? For the Prince, who was undoubtedly jealous of my closeness to tia, to suddenly talk about reward and all. Hmmm, suspicious. However, "I shall do my best to erase your doubts and concerns, my lord." I bowed with my left hand pressed against my chest. There was no point hesitating here when I had alreadymitted my life to tia''s happiness. Being under surveince for the next ten days was nothing. ******* A/N:- Let''s see. Some power-up is required and a pre-canon event needs to be changed. Drop ament if you are excited about the beginning of the Academy. Chapter 25- I want to meet him again Chapter 25- I want to meet him again [Town Rolegue, 6.30 AM] The vastnds of greenery were spreaded around a two-storey wooden farmhouse. The livestock and domestic animals freely roamed around the backside of the wooden house. The sun shone brightly in the sky, providing a nourishing essence to all living beings. The moderately cold wind of the approaching winter made the woman shiver as she drew water from the well and filled the watering can with it. Bringing it near the small flower bed, the violet curly-haired woman sprinkled the water over the nts while humming to herself. The scene of a beautiful woman, watering the flowers was quite captivating. Amidst the hums of thedy and the subtle sound of birds singing in the background, a woman in her middle ages walked up to the youngdy. "You are enjoying yourself taking care of those flowers." "Fufu~I just love seeing things grow. That''s why I decided to be a teacher in the first ce." ra, with an optimistic smile, dered the reason for the job she had applied for. ra always likes making those around her, grow better than their past self. Her passion for potion was as intense as her interest in teaching other people. "That reminds me, when are you leaving for the Academy?" The middle-aged woman was ra''s aunt and Ronin''s wife¡ªSherry. She has known ra for a long time and felt the house bing livelier whenever ra stayed. Although it was a surprise that ra left her old town all of a sudden some days ago, Ronin and Sherry never asked ra''s reasons. "In four days." ra''s response brought Sherry''s focus back on the topic. Looking at the merry smile ra wore, Sherry couldn''t help muttering, "You look more clear-minded now." ra tilted her head adorably as she asked, "Hmm? What do you mean?" Sherry smiled at her niece, "When you first got epted as a Professor in the academy, you were not very cheerful. After all, although you like teaching others, you are not very good at socializing." raughed in embarrassment, "Ahah...you are right about that. I just sometimes make things awkward for those whom I don''t know closely." Sherry chuckled at that as she continued, "However, things are better now, ra. You now seem more motivated to join the Academy. Is there any particr reason for this positive change?" ra''s brows elevated as she held the pitcher with both of her hands and looked toward the sky. Sherry has never seen such a beautiful and radiant smile on her niece''s face like the one she had at the moment. Closing her eyes, ra thought of the person she met some days ago, before she uttered, "I want to look for someone specific...and getting to know more people might help me find him." "Hoh~is this the matter of romance?" Sherry sounded more interested now. "Maybe...I am not sure. However, I want to meet him again someday and talk to him a lot." "And do you think, the Academy would help you meet your destined one?" Hearing her aunt''s query, ra shed a toothy grin, before she exposed one of her secrets, "Don''t worry about that. I will sense his presence when he will be around." ***** "Demonized?! Are you sure about that?" "Indeed, I am. I, myself, exorcised Radolf before he could have harmed Kyle." Although it was Collen who reported it, Edmund couldn''t believe his ears. The butler sent by the central ministry was someone who had joined hands with the Dark side and allowed his humanity to burn in the me of hell. Attaining Dark Magic, getting demonized, or helping demons in their ventures are said to be the worst crimes a human could perform. And the punishment for such crimes could be worse than death. And someone, whose background and family have been assessed by the Capital government... Edmund has more than one reason to be worried. "Why hasn''t tia tell me anything about it?" Collen sighed, "Your Highness probably would use that chip for future bargaining against Your Majesty." Edmund wryly smiled at his friend''s words. "You speak as if my sister is a haggler." Collen made an expression, which explicitly said ''Isn''t she one?'', but Edmund ignored that for now. "I am surprised no one from the mansion informed the Capital about it." Collen remained silent on that. He was not allowed to talk about the Contract tia forced on the servants. Although Edmund was Collen''s friend from the knight academy, there were some things that Collen couldn''t say or he would be betraying thedy he serves. ''Forgive me, Ed...you have to find out about that contract by yourself.'' ****** It waste in the evening. The dinner time was approaching and currently, tia was in her room. Naturally, she couldn''t skip dinner like she mostly prefers to, since her brother was here. Ignoring her usual routine would give him a chance to use Kyle. And tia didn''t want that. *Knock* "Can I enter, mydy?" Hearing Kyle''s voice from the other side, tia hurriedly unpinned her hair and allowed the blond velvet hair to flow down her shoulders. "Come in." Walking towards the dresser, she sat on the small andfortable stool wordlessly. She waited for a moment or two before Kyle finally approached her. "Would you mind if I brush your hair?" tia gestures towards thebs before replying, "As you wish." Kyle took the hairbrush from the dresser shelf before he took hold of a portion of her hair in his hand. The softness of her hair was quitefortable to hold. He doesn''t apply much force and only holds it enough that her hair doesn''t slip off. "Mydy...as you have heard mymitment during my conversation with Your Highness Prince Edmund, I need to show my worth as your butler." "What about it?" tia sounded ignorant. Kyle inwardly chuckled; enjoying this rare childish side of tia. "That''s why, I want your permission to keep on serving you like I used to. Please do not restrict me from entering your room in the morning and also, I request you to have your meals on time from now on." tia raised her brows and crossed her arms under her bountiful bust. "For my brother, you want to close the gap between us?" Kyle didn''t hide his contentment this time and chuckled slightly. tia''s shoulder loosened up hearing such a melodiousugh, but she kept a stern front to hear his response. "Mydy...Prince Edmund is an excuse..." Nearing his face to her ear he added, "...I just want to stay close to my ." Whether it was his hot breath that brushed against her cheeks or the room temperature was high, tia suddenly felt her face turning burning red. She hurriedly covered her face with her hair and looked away from him. "Fufu~mydy is so adorable." Kyle hugged her shoulders and swayed slightly. "Who do you think, you are embracing?" Although she said that, tia sounded far from offended. "Oh, I thought you wanted me to hug you," Kyle said as he loosened his arms around her. "Mm..." tia whined before she turned herself toward him and timidly opened her arms. "....don''t tease me..." Seeing the adorable red-faced Princess, desperately asking for a hug just melted his heart. Kyle smiled in contentment before he encircled his arms around her and firmly hugged his mistress. Seriously, she is the most adorable girl he has evere across. ****** A/N:- Haah...some fluff finally. Drop ament. Chapter 26- Agitated Princess Chapter 26- Agitated Princess After consoling and gaining permission to continue his daily duties, tia and Kyle moved to the dining table to have thest meal of the day. While tia joined her brother at the table, Kyle went to the kitchen to ensure the food was prepared and it was to the liking of the Princess. Once done, Kyle returned to tia''s side and allowed Maria to serve the dishes for the siblings. First came the mushroom soup with some chopped vegetables. While Edmund just took the soup, he noticed Kyle pouring a specific sauce into tia''s soup which was contained in a separate small pot. "What is that? I hope you are not feeding something unhealthy to my sister." Hearing his question, which surely wasn''t a part of table manners, Kyle halted. He put down the pot before standing back straight and answering him, "It''s a coconut garlic sauce which My Lady likes to have with her soup. This is something I myself have prepared and every ingredient is hand-picked. Apart from the nutritional value, it adds a creamy taste to the soup." He added, "Since My Lady doesn''t prefer soup before meal generally, I invented something that could help her maintain the fine dining etiquette." Edmund was genuinely surprised to hear that response before he asked, "Can I also have the sauce added to my soup?" "As you desire, my lord." Kyle handed the pot to Cassie, which she first assessed, and poured some content into Edmund''s appetizer. All this time a very faint smile curved tia''s lips as she listened to them in silence. Although she didn''t want to share the sauce that Kyle prepared exclusively for her, it was also necessary for her brother to see how precious and unique Kyle was. The golden spoons were lifted by both before Edmund and tia took the first sip of the appetizer. Edmund''s eyes sparkle having the soup coating his tongue and sliding down his throat. The creamy texture and the rich blend of coconut and garlic along with mushroom. About the soup, everything felt just the best. Edmund didn''t utter a word once he began, however, he decided to have Cassie take the recipe for the sauce before they left. After some time, the appetizer came to an end and the main course was brought out. For the main course, there was roasted pork with stir-fried and sauce-coated vegetables. The well-bnced nutritional food had the perfect vor and spices that could prove to be both: beneficial and delicious. Edmund keenly watched tia slicing the meat with the knife and piercing the fork in it before bringing it near her lips. His own movements never halted but he never allowed his eyes to wander away from his sister And just as she swallowed the food after chewing it thoroughly, he suddenly got up. "Aha! You lost, butler! Cassie." The brown-haired maid heeded her master''s call before she made her way around the table and approached a clearly exasperated tia. "What is this about, Brother?" Her tone suggested here unhidden frustration. However, that didn''t affect Edmund before he pointed his finger toward Kyle and spoke in a haughty tone, "Just now, he failed to perform his duty as a butler. To ensure his master''s safety, a butler should be alert every time." "What are you trying to imply here?" tia ignored the vial of some potion which the maid was offering as she kept her gaze straight at the older one in front. With a wicked smile, Edmund stated the answer, "I told the head maid to put a very less toxic poison in the food to see whether Kyle notices it and eliminates it or not. Since you carry divine blood, I knew this much toxicity wouldn''t affect you and just in case I have told Cassie to prepare the antidote." Refocusing on Kyle he concluded, "However, the fact of the matter is...this good-for-nothing butler of yours, failed to perform one of the most crucial tasks." tia sighed, however, before she could retaliate against her brother and defend Kyle, thetter mentioned spoke up, "If you allow me, my lord then I would like to say something in my defense." "You may, Kyle. You may." Edmund sat back down with a smug face and gestured for Kyle to start uttering his excuses. However, Edmund''s marrow-mindedness allowed him to measure Kyle in a very limited fashion. And Edmund was about to realize that very soon. With a smile never leaving his face, Kyle spoke up, "First of all, every dish prepared for mydy gets thoroughly assessed by me before it gets served to her. Second, if the poison had been applied after my inspection and before it was served to mydy, I still would have noticed it thanks to my fine working senses. And third," Taking out a fork that Kyle was keeping inside his pocket, he concluded, "The poison was applied to her fork, not the food." *ng* "E-excuse me." The vial from Cassie''s hand suddenly fell before she hurriedly picked it up and returned to her master''s side. The shock was evident, not only for Cassie but Edmund and every other maid standing at the side. tia had a wide smirk now on her face as she secretly held Kyle''s hand at a height that could not be seen by her brother. After a full minute of silence finally, Edmund asked, "...how?" Kyle didn''t need to ask what he meant by that. He answered, "As I said, I have a very good memory and since I did not awaken, I have trained all my senses to the fullest. As such, I can smell if any foreign ingredient is mixed in her food or applied to the cutlery." After a brief pause, he added, "The moment I resolved to serve mydy as her butler, my focus diligently remained on her, every single minute of the day. As such, my lord doesn''t need to worry about her safety while I am in the service." Edmund clenched his fist, being utterly defeated by Kyle and realizing how greatly he underestimated the person. However, being a Prince he has enough tolerance to not suddenly erupt in anger and frustration. "Well, let''s just continue the dinner." ******* After dinner, when tia took a bath and changed into her nightwear, she told Kyle to dry her hair before she could go to sleep Kyle, naturally, obliged her wish and used the hair-drying artifact to evaporate all the moisture slowly from her hair. "''My focus remains on her every minute'', eh? I wonder if that''s true?" Kyle couldn''t help blushing a little hearing those words from tia. He moved the handle of the incense burner-shaped tool around her hair and chose to remain silent on the matter. tia took his bashful reaction as a ''yes'' and smiled in contentment. "I never saw you changing my fork. When did you do that?" Kyle answered after a small pause, "When you were upied in searching for my hand after finishing the appetizer." This time tia blushed and red at him through reflection. Kyle ignored her gaze and continued to do his work. "You make me sound like a desperate woman, searching for a man''s warmth." Kyle raised his brows as he asked, "''Man''s warmth''? You do know what that means right?" "Of course, I-" tia paused. The realization struck her hard as she covered her face with both of her palms and refused to even look at herself. How stupid of her! How can she be this much dense?! Oh lord, please just reverse the time and make her unsay it! How much she prayed, her prayers weren''t heard. Kyle chuckled at her innocent reaction before he said something off-topic, ", we should be prepared for tomorrow." tia soon calmed down, hearing his slightly serious tone before she nodded "I know. If my brother can even poison me just to test you, then this matter is far greater than just assurance." Kyle nodded in assent There is something massive brewing in Edmund''s head. ******* A/N:- I am making the chapters long so I can finish the pre-canon events as soon as I can. Although I am enjoying these character build-up chapters I don''t know whether the readers are enjoying these chapters or not. Anyway it will take seven to eight chapters before we dive into the canon. Stay tuned. Chapter 27- Another attack Chapter 27- Another attack Three days have passed since my brother arrived at Belur and started living with us. I never had a bad rtionship with my siblings nor they ever did anything to me that could make me despise them. However, Brother Edmund was, nowadays, partaking in things that I couldn''t help but feel frustrated. After I left the Capital I assumed that I would be granted freedom. I was already old enough to take care of myself and decide what was good and what was bad for me. And Kyle was the best decision I have ever made. Saving him from ve traders was a given, however, making him my butler was not in my n. But the way things turned out, I am happy that he now serves me. The only friend I have ever made remains close to me most of the time. Kyle is like a support system for me. After pretending to be a dignified and hard-working Princess, when I return to my room, Kyle wees me with open arms. He is the only person to whom I could show my real self. He is the only person who doesn''t judge me upon seeing my childish and tantrum-throwing side. He is the only person, who adores the real tia. However, Edmund doesn''t understand how much Kyle is worth. My brother is just hell-bent on proving that Kyle is a no-good butler just because he doesn''t possess a supernatural skill. So what? Can Edmund ensure that an awakened being can protect me when crisis befalls? Well, forget about it. Three days have already gone and today is the fourth day. I and Kyle just need to keep being cautious around Edmund for the next six days. *Knock* "Come in." Hearing the knock, I didn''t think twice before allowing Kyle to enter. It was early morning and my hair needed to be brushed. I was already seated near the dressing mirror with my hair all messed up. This kind of appearance was something I could only allow, Kyle or Maria to see. "Good morning, mydy." "Good morning to you too, Kyle." I smiled at him. He looked as neat and proper as ever. No sign of drowsiness at all. His clothes were neatly ironed and his appearance was perfectly representable. He was holding a tray in his hand with a ss ced on it. I took the ss before taking a sip of the herbal tea which helps me detoxify my stomach. Ah~refreshing. "How do you make this so good? I heard that mostly every beneficial thing tastes bitter?" Hearing myment, Kyle didn''t say anything for a moment which made me turn my eyes in his direction. For some reason, he was staring at the dressing table with his body frozen. However, before I could have asked, ''What''s wrong?'' he spoke up, "Ah, well, I just add a little bit of honey and use fresh herbs that''s why the bitterness blows away." I frowned slightly at his weird reaction. Kyle took the hairbrush before getting behind me. However, the moment he touched my hair and began gently brushing it, I rxed. I slowly sipped on the herbal tea and enjoyed the gentle caress from my butler. "Today, will you apany me to my training?" I asked him. Since we don''t get much time at the mansion to talk freely I suggested. However, his response made me frown, "I would be honored." I looked at him through the mirror before asking, "Why are you behaving so formally with me-ah..." A slow yelp escaped my lips as I felt Kyle''s warm finger pressed against my bare back. My body trembled and my back straightened up in an instant. ''W-what is this....i-is this so-some kind of h-h-hint....'' I couldn''t help blushing at the gesture as Kyle continued to brush my hair and secretly ran his finger on my back I shyly looked at him through the mirror, wanting to find him smiling at me....but all I saw was a serious expression on his face. I was a bit confused....then suddenly I realized. ''His finger...it isn''t moving mindlessly!'' My eyes slightly widened as I looked at him and found Kyle giving me a subtle nod. "Mydy, what would you like to have for breakfast?" "Umm...whatever you like..." I answered him vaguely while discerning what he was trying to say, ''S-O-M-E-O-N-E...'' "I see. Then what about pancakes?" "Hmm....that works...." I answered him mindlessly and read the next word....only to find my eyes widening in shock, ''I-S...H-E-R-E....'' I instantly got up from the stool and used my Divine Eyes to assess the ce "Mydy, no!" However, suddenly Kyle jumped toward me and and shielded me with his body, *SHLINK* A whistling sound resonated from somewhere before a groan escaped from Kyle''s lips. "Kyle?! What happened to you?" I asked him, worriedly. I roamed my eyes around and found a long dart piercing his neck. *SHLINK* Another whistling sound resonated but this time I was alert. Without moving a single finger, I froze the air around us in an instant, and the next moment, the dart advancing toward Kyle''s back, dropped to the ground. "...." His whisper brought me back to my senses I found Kyle''s face turning blue and his eyes already half closed. However, not even for a moment did he leave me unguarded. "Kyle! Respond to me, Kyle!" Despite my screams, Kyle''s eyes nked out before he fainted in my arms. ***** [Third Person POV:] Inside Kyle''s room, some maids along with Collen, Maria, and tia could be seen currently around Kyle''s bed, where thetter mentionedy unconscious. tia was so panicked that she almost used Phoenix Tear to cure him again. However, Maria arrived at the right time and assured tia that a high-grade potion would be enough to treat him. The poison injected through the dart can be cured if treated within half a day. As such the best healer amongst the servants was given the task to help him recover. "Mydy, the poison has been neutralized but the fever would remain for the day." tia nodded before the maid bowed and left the room. Maria was using ice packs to cool down his head as tia drew closer to him and sat on the bed. His face wasn''t as pale as before but still, he seemed to be suffering. Holding his burning hand, tia pressed it against her cheek as tears welled in her eyes. "He will be fine, mydy." Maria tried tofort tia but to no avail. Maria knew how tia must be ming herself right now. This was the second time Kyle was injured because of her, and just like the first time, tia was distraught. However, amidst the drizzle of tears, a whirlwind of anger surged before tia turned her focus towards Collen and asked him wordlessly. Collen tensed up momentarily before he nodded with a sigh. "Bring her." Commanding the guards standing outside, Collen stepped aside and allowed the two guards to bring a female spy inside the room. The female spy wasn''t trying to struggle as she was held by the two guards to stand near the door. tia got up from the bed with her demeanorpletely overtaken by murderous intent. The cold gaze she carried made every single person in the room tremble and the fluctuation of aura from her was making it hard to breathe. Her feet halted before the hooded figure of a young woman before tia conjured an ice spike in her hand and pressed it against the spy''s neck. "Tell me who sent you, and your death would be less painful." tia was going to kill this woman. Whether she speaks or not, doesn''t matter. Her death was inevitable even if God descends right now and asks tia to forgive her. And thankfully, the answer which the spy provided, allowed tia to have her time killing this pest. "I cannot disclose." tia smiled. That smile doesn''t carry the innocence that she shows to Kyle nor it is the dignified smile that everyone is used to seeing on her face. The smile she wore right now, suggested something more profound. Something horrifying. However, before tia could pierce the woman''s left eye with the ice de someone walked inside the room and stopped her, "Don''t do anything to her. It was me, whomanded her to attack you." It was Edmund. Collen and Maria''s eyes widened in shock hearing that, however, the person who should have been the most shocked suddenly raised her hand and conjured a dozen ice spears around the Prince. Even though it was her brother, no one was allowed to hurt Kyle. No one. ****** A/N:- Heeh~ Chapter 28- Don’t hate me Chapter 28- Don¡¯t hate me tia doesn''t just adore Kyle, she is obsessed with him¡ªEdmund discerned upon finding the numerous ice spears targeting him. It was no surprise that Kyle had be such an important figure in her life that tia, such a simple and lovely child, would even attack her brother. And Edmund knows that the thing he has done...or has allowed to happen, was not forgivable yet he couldn''t do anything to stop it. "Mydy, no!" Collen yelled but to no avail. tia dropped her hand and every ice spear advanced toward Edmund at a frightening pace....only to be destroyed before they could have reached him. Edmund opened his eyes, only to see his brte maid standing there, with her sword sheathed already. "Cassie you..." "Iing!" Cassie informed as several more ice spears tia conjured and even froze Edmund and Cassie''s legs at the ce to let them feel the burn of her agitation. However, Cassie wasn''t ced as the guard of the second Prince, for nothing. "Enhance!" Body enhancement was the skill she possessed which allowed her to temporarily increase her physical stats by several folds. *Crack* Cassie broke out of her confinement with ease before she wielded her de and deflected every ice spear without letting a single one reach her master. The number of spears increased as well as the ferocity with which they were striking Cassie. The maid was now receiving damage from each wave of attack and her body was trembling as well. Not to talk about tia''s growing magic that was unconsciously affecting the whole mansion except for Kyle. Edmund smiled helplessly as he told Cassie, "Move away." "But, my lord!" "Until tia doesn''t harm me, she won''t calm down so move away. This matter is between us two siblings." Cassie''s eyes were widened and reluctance was clearly could be discerned from her expression. However, Edmund is well set on moving Cassie away before tia''s patience wears thin and she ends up freezing Cassie to death. "I am sorry, Cas." "Ah!" Suddenly a purplish smog erupted from his index finger before it wrapped around Cassie''s neck¡ªrendering her unconscious. Edmund didn''t move to help her as Cassie dropped to the ground. His legs were still frozen as he stood with his hands resting on either side casually. He had the means to stop her from attacking but he didn''t. He knew if he directed amand, every guard around the mansion along with Collen woulde to guard him, but Edmund didn''t think about doing such a thing even once. With a smile, he looked at his sister. Their eyes locked for a moment and in the next, *SLING* "Agh..." Edmund couldn''t help but groan as the ice spear prated his left thigh and made his whole left leg numb. Another one followed to the right one before Edmund was brought down to his knees. Although he was in pain he never allowed a singleint out his throat nor he ever considered retaliating. Another ice spear followed his left shoulder then another one to Edmund''s torso. "Mydy! Stop or he will die!" Collen could no longer see Edmund in pain as he jumped to stand in front of him¡ªnot as a royal guard but as a friend. Edmund wanted to stop Collen and tell him to go away...but his vocal cords had be useless at this point. All he could see was the blurry figure of his friend''s back at the moment. "Mydy, if Kyle is your beloved friend, then he is the brother who has cradled you in his arms and protected you all these times. Please calm down and try to think why Prince Edmund would ever attack you." Maria also tried to persuade her. The tears in her eyes didn''t affect tia as she stood motionlessly while facing Collen. The rage she carried hadn''t been subdued yet...until she didn''t hear what Collen uttered next, "If something happens to Your Highness, I am sure Kyle would never forgive you." This time, tia''s expression shifted. Her aura fluctuated and her mind suddenly created an image of Kyle¡ªlooking at her in disappointment. ''I never realized you were this horrible, ...'' Those words, although she created them in her mind, were still quite impactful All the color from her face faded and the ice spear she had conjured, turned into dust. The temperature of the room, which was nearing negative, suddenly returned to normal as tia turned away from Collen andmanded, "Take him away." Collen heaved a sigh before picking up his friend and walking out of the room. "You as well. Go." "B-But myd-" "Just go." tia didn''t hear Maria''s words andmanded in a heavy voice before she sat beside Kyle and held his hand. Looking at her saddened visage, Maria felt her heart bing heavy. However, she didn''t insist on staying there for long before bowing to thedy and taking her leave. Left in the room, tia took the cooling pad from the table beside the bed before squeezing the fabric a little and draping it gently on Kyle''s forehead. His warm skin interacted with her cold fingers which made Kyle move his face away in his sleep. tia''s heart trembled at that, as she subconsciously mumbled, "....please don''t hate me, Kyle...." ***** [Kyle''s POV:] "Mm...." My consciousness slowly cleared up but my head was hurting a lot. My jaw was hurting and my lower body was paralyzed. I took a moment to calm my nerves and collect my thoughts. I was darted with poison while I was shielding tia. Although I noticed that someone was in the room, the said assant was so well hidden that I couldn''t attack them instantly. And since I couldn''t have risked summoning Beta in front of tia, I was left with no option but to rely on tia. However, she acted on impulse and after that...well, let it be. Opening my eyes, I found tia resting her head on my chest and her eyes were closed. She was sleeping peacefully. I didn''t stir too much and slowly brought my hand to her head. Caressing her hair I enjoyed this rare peaceful moment. My eyes turned toward the door as I heard very faint footsteps approaching the room. The person who appeared from the other side was Maria. She was startled upon finding my eyes open, however, soon sheposed herself and silently walked toward us, "You are awake." Maria draped a nket over tia as she said. "Hmm, somehow. How long was I out?" "Twelve hours." I sighed. The poison didn''t leave anysting effect as I could sense but it surely was effective enough to put me in sleep for the whole day. "What about the assant...was he caught?" I asked; keeping my suspicions to myself about Prince Edmund''s involvement in this. Hearing my query, Maria''s expression adopted a sorrowful look for some reason. "...Kyle, I think you should ask about that matter to the youngdy. A lot of things happened after you fell unconscious." Maria was not a little child to show such sorrow and regret on trivial matters. If she looked so disheartened then something severe must have urred. ....and I have a feeling, tia was involved in that. Turning my focus on the young girl, peacefully sleeping on me, I couldn''t help muttering, "What have you done....?" ******* A/N:- Tortured her brother and nearly killed him. Well, let''s see how Kyle reacts. Chapter 29- The reason Chapter 29- The reason [Next Morning] [Kyle''s POV:] Apart from me, there was only tia in the room. We sat in silence, but this silence wasn''t as peaceful as it wasst night. I was stunned. tia confessed everything that happened after I fell unconscious after being hit by that dart. Canonically, this never happened. tia originally shouldn''t have ever hurt her brother Edmund in any manner...yet, for me, she nearly killed him yesterday. Someone who wants to spend his life as a side character and doesn''t want to affect tia''s life much...I sure am not doing my job well. "Kyle..." My focus shifted from the monologue to tia, who pulled my shirt and pleaded in a meek tone, "...please don''t hate me." "--!!!" Those eyes...I have never seen tia this scared before. She wasn''t asking me to not hate her, rather, she prayed to not get abhorred by me. For tia, even her family members could not arouse such deep emotion that she was disying currently in my presence. To hurt her brother to the point of nearly killing him without a second thought and now, after all this happened she isn''t ming me but rather asking me to not leave her... Right now, she must be so insecure about how I would react to this incident. She already hasmitted something irreversible and possibly soured her rtionship with many people. And even if I also.....no, that would never happen. "Hey, e here." I held her hand and urged her to sit on the bed. Dazed, she did as I said and sat with her back facing me. I checked the door whether it was locked before wrapping my hands around her and pulling her in a tight embrace. "Uh..." Her cute yelp made me grin as I held the adorable closely in my arms before conveying my thoughts, "How can I ever bring myself to hate you, ? You are so adorable that my affection only grows for you passing every single day." Holding her hand in mine, I continued, "Although you shouldn''t have attacked Prince Edmund, I am happy that you got angry because I got hurt. It makes me feel that I am not truly an orphan anymore." "I have my ." I know what I am doing right now would surely affect the plot a lot and my rtionship with tia would not remain the same as it was. However, I couldn''t help myself. This girl was so sweet and scared just now, that I had to hold her like this and tell her what I honestly felt. "...I will always be by your side...." tia''s muttering broadened my smile as I replied, "The feeling is mutual." ******* Afterforting my little princess for the next half an hour, I took a light bath and changed into fresh clothes. I told tia to freshen up as well since we were going to have a chat with Prince Edmund. Although tia looked reluctant, she agreed upon hearing my reasoning. tia couldn''t just sever her ties with her brother like this. I knew something was going on with Edmund or maybe something with Royal Capital to allow Edmund to set up such experiments that could possibly harm tia. Dying breakfast, I and tia arrived at the room where Edmund was staying. Naturally, no guard stopped me from pushing apart the doors and letting tia and myself in. Inside the room, there were two maids, and on the bedid, a seemingly fine Edmund. All of them turned to look at me and tia; Edmund in surprise and the maids in horror. "tia...." I am not sure what it takes to make Edmund hate his sister since nearly losing his life hasn''t affected that fond smile he wears around her. "You two, leave." tia didn''t respond to her brother but rather told Cassie and Martha to leave immediately. Although Marth seemed to be wanting to just disappear, Cassie looked reluctant. "It''s okay, Cas. We will be just talking." Edmund persuaded his maid with a dazzling smile that only a protagonist material could summon. I was nearly blinded. With a subtle blush forming on Cassie''s cheeks she nodded before bowing and walking out of the room. Left alone, I pulled a chair and ced it near the bed for tia. "How are you, Kyle? Sorry, I couldn''te to see you this morning." "Please don''t be, Your Highness. I am aware of your condition and for just a mere butler like me, just the thought is hefty enough." "Mere butler you say. I am sure tia doesn''t see in you, just a butler." Hearing Edmund''s half-sarcastic and half-seriousment, I couldn''t help but feel a little nervous. Thatment was followed by tia''s icy re tia directed at her brother¡ªmuch to Edmund''s nervousness "I am just joking, Tia. Just a joke." Seriously, this man was regarded as a prodigy and a worthy sessor for the throne....and here he was behaving like tia''s discontent was equal to the world''s doom. Since tia didn''t seem to want to talk, I asked, "Your Highness, please excuse my impudence but can I ask you something about yesterday?" Edmund''s expression sobered up upon hearing my words as he directed a tired nce in my direction before heaving a sigh. "Why did I allow tia to get attacked, right?" I nodded. Edmund looked conflicted about whether he should answer or not, however, once he took a nce at tia he seemed to have formed a decision, "....actually, it was me who suggested letting Kyle have the family treasure so he can protect tia better. However, since my elder brother and father were against it, we argued...and in the end, we decided to take some tests to ascertain your loyalty and devotion towards tia." This was too much information he dumped all at once. Firstly, what was this family treasure he was talking about? The capital treasure vault is full of wonders and even Logan gets benefits of it in theter part of the story. However, canonically Kyle never gets anything from the vault at all. Then why this sudden change of heart? Secondly, it was surprising to hear that the second Prince went against his elder brother and his father just for my sake. And because of that, all these tests are conducted. "My words weren''t enough? Didn''t I write in the letter, how important Kyle is for me?" tia voiced her disappointment. Edmund let out another sigh, as he said, "I know what you must be feeling Tia, but you have to understand....the artifact I am talking about here, couldn''t be offered to anyone other than our family members until that person isn''t purely devoted to serve you." Now I am very curious to know, what this treasure item is. "So you targeted me to see whether Kyle protects me or not?" "Yes...but I wasn''t in direct control of how you would be targeted yesterday. It''s Brother Ray who sent that assant yesterday." Hearing Edmund''s statement, a look of frustration crossed her face as tia clenched her fist. Edmund looked troubled at what he could say tofort his sister...and in the end, he turned to look at me. Exhaling a sigh, I called out for tia, "Mydy, isn''t it reasonable for your family members to test my loyalty when they would be handing their most treasured person in my care?" Edmund nodded to assent to my words. tia''s grip loosened as she breathed heavily and asked her brother, "Can I know what treasure item are we talking about?" Although tia didn''t sound too approving of this whole situation, she at least was willing to ascertain the fruits that I might bear if I could get through these trials. Edmund nodded before he snapped his fingers and a dark violet smog erupted out of his body. The smog surrounded the three of us, and the surroundings disappeared. I was unsure of what his skill actually does, but from what I have witnessed back in my previous world through some small scenes, Edmund can summon this violet fog and use it like an extra pair of arms. He can use it as a barrier and a weapon. In summary, some sort of psychokinesis. The way he surrounded us, it seemed he didn''t want anyone else to hear what he was about to say. Once he was done forming the sound istion barrier, he uttered some words that made my mind numb, "The mythical armor of the Lost Warrior Eric Bloodme." I have heard about that armour....sinceter in the story, it was tia who gave Logan that armor. ***** A/N:- Goddamn. Chapter 30- Unsure Chapter 30- Unsure The armour of the Lost Warrior¡ªEric Bloodme. A mythical item that the legendary warriors left behind after he poured his life essence, soul, and divine energy he umted while battling against the Demons all those years. The artifact had the Valenchide Empire all this time. The legendary artifact is a full-body armour that covers everything but above the neck. The reason why it was so highly regarded was that, regardless of any spell or assault, the armour would withstand the effect and convert it into kic energy which the wearer could utilize to attack them back. It is said and from what I have seen in the game, this armour can even hold out against a Lord-rank demon¡ªwhich was a rank below a Devil. If I have to summarise what the armour can do then it can turn a person immune to death, no less. However, this armour was not something I should have been receiving. Later in the story when Logan has to go against Demons, much higher than him in ranking and experience, he needs this armour to defend himself and the people around him. On his shoulders rested the safety of the Academy and possibly the whole of mankind. And for me, a side character, to obtain this boon.... Well, I am not gonna reject such a broken artifact just because it would be useful for the Protagonist. When the timees I would dly hand it over to Logan, but until that time there was no harm for me to possess this legendary armour and use it for my benefits. However the question arises, "I don''t possess Divine Blood...how am I going to wield the armour?" I couldn''t help asking myself as I stood beside tia. After leaving Edmund''s room she was having breakfast when I initiated this conversation. Her spoon halted before she turned to look at me in puzzlement. "Haven''t you heard about Blood Ritual?" I blinked in surprise before asking her, "But blood ritual can only be done between awakened people right?" tia shook her head before enlightening me, "It is apletely unrestrained and unconditional ritual that can be performed by anyone." I wanted to ask her something more, but seeing that she had resumed eating, I refrained. "Don''t hold back and ask, Kyle." Encouraged by her, I finally asked her, "In this ritual, I would intake the blood of a divine awakened, not a regr one right?" There are two types of awakened¡ªDivine and Regr. Those with Elemental and Spiritual attributese under thetter type. While those who possess Light attributes are called Divine Awakened. Someone like tia who had Divine Awakening and Elemental Awakening as well is regarded as Dual-awakened. And to wield that armour I need Divine essence inside of me or the armour would reject me as a wearer. "Ah, yes. Although my brothers would probably offer someone else with Divine Blood, I have already resolved to feed Kyle with my blood." ....that sadistic smile is somewhat creepy tia. ''....oh crap!'' Suddenly I realized something that made my heart shrink in fear. I turned my focus to tia before asking, "Umm, mydy, after breakfast can I excuse myself for some hours? There is an urgent matter I need to look after." I used every bit of my self-control to not let my anxiety appear in my voice. However, it still didn''t help as tia raised a questioning brow at me and asked, "Is there something you are hiding from me, Kyle?" I sometimes resent the fact that I am so transparent to tia. "...it''s not something important. I need to...uh....prepare for any future attack on mydy. Yeah, that''s it." I think this was a believable lie since the trials have yet to conclude and as such, I need to be fully prepared to not let something like yesterday repeat. "Hmm?" Regardless of what believable excuse I present she was not going to let me go¡ªwas what I discerned from that look. Alright, time for n B. Since the maids standing at a side could only see our backs, I leaned slightly forward and slid my hand on her arm before holding the back of her hand gently. "...for my , I don''t want to take any risk and bepletely prepared for any unforeseen situation. Am I not allowed to?" Her grip on the spoon loosened up and her shoulders tensed. The way her ears began to turn red and tia fidgeted at her ce made me feel guilty yet amused at the same time. "....fine. Do whatever you want." I wanted to hug the adorable princess right away but I held it back and stood back up. ****** After separating from tia, who had history ss at this hour, I went to the library. There were many books in the library which contained many events and war details from the past. My current concern was to know more about Blood Ritual and also the recorded cases of sess and failures. From the basic knowledge I have, Blood Ritual binds two people under a spell which can be used for various purposes. The Blood Ritual was originally invented by the Witches of ancient times. Its main focus was to let two people connect and share. Inplicated words, if person A is connected to person B, and person A''s life value is significant for the greater good, then person B can share their magic, organs, blood, and even life span with person A. Although the ritual has various necessities if someone wants to share their life span with someone, it is an undeniable fact that Blood Ritual can extend one''s life by several years. However, it also has some limits and restrictions. That''s why I was here. I, a person who uses dark magic in the form of those straw dolls am about to assimte the blood of a Divine Awakened. It sounds like mixing oil and water. I am searching for the probable oue that can result from this fusion. ''Blod ritual....hmm....'' Going through several books and records I finally found those recorded rituals which happened during the Great War between Demons and Humans. Around that time, many humans were enved by demons and the same was true for this side. Naturally, they would use their ves to extend their lifespan, as such, it didn''t take me time to find a case where a Divine Awakened performed a blood ritual with Curse User and tried assimting his blood into the demon. [....although the hopes were dim, the war was reaching its peak as such humanity needed an abomination that could fight against the Demons. The demon chosen for the ritual was of a Chief-ss and the divine awakened around the same rank. Initially, the blood ritual was established normally, however, the transfer of blood from the divine being to the demon failed miserably¡ªcausing the demon to explode into several fragments.] [Since there were adverse effects on the Divine Awakened as well, this ritual cannot be used as a weapon against demons as well.] [In short, the experiment was an utter failure.] My face went pale reading through the report of the experiment and several other experiments that involved a demon and a human. In every case, both parties incurred damage. ''....I can''t let this happen.'' Although the mythical armour was a cheat item, I couldn''t risk my and tia''s life for this However, the concern arises: How am I going to exin this to tia? I was so deep in my thoughts that Ipletely missed the prying eyes looking at the case study I was reading. The moment I felt a gaze on me, and I turned, the person disappeared ''Am I hallucinating now?'' At that time, I couldn''t have anticipated how much myck of awareness was going to cost me. ******* A/N:- Ah....welp. Drop ament. Chapter 31- Plans Chapter 31- ns The remaining five days went in a sh and the trials finally came to an end. After that ambush Kyle and tia didn''t have to face any other attack and Edmund just kept on observing Kyle without creating much trouble for him. The way his behavior changed around Kyle, signifies that Edmund never wanted Kyle to get wounded and he was genuinely guilty about it. Regardless, Edmund''s demeanor around Kyle improved a lot and Edmund even appreciated his work on several asions. Now, whether Edmund really meant those praises or was he just trying to gain forgiveness from his sister remains a mystery...but that didn''t matter to Kyle. He was content with the fact that Edmund was no longer suspicious of him. Currently, it is nighttime, and mostly everyone returned to their rooms. After dinner, suddenly Cassie arrived at Kyle''s door and asked him to apany her. Naturally, Kyle was wary. However, when she told him that it was her Master who requested his presence, Kyle didn''t make her wait for long. Now, in the back garden of the mansion, two young men can be seen currently walking slowly on the stone path built around the training ground. The round moon was illuminating the surface with its silvery shade. The night breeze of the autumn was quitefortable. The two individuals remained silent for a long time before it was the blond Prince who called out, "I think you must have noticed already that I was quite jealous of you. For a long time." Kyle wasn''t surprised to hear that all of a sudden. He knew if Edmund called to talk to him, then it must be about tia. The reason for Edmund''s jealousy undoubtedly stems from the fact that in the past, tia spent most of her time not with her siblings or parents but with him. Regardless, Kyle didn''t interrupt the older one. "You used to get ridiculed by tia and in retaliation, you used to say pretty mean things as well. However, tia liked yourpany a lot." Edmund chuckled while Kyle felt like shaking his head with a sigh building up his throat. Those days.... they were something. tia''s straight face insults and Kyle''s teary eyes retaliation. "You know, tia used to think that if she showed her fondness toward you, then Father would separate you two. Because of your status difference and all. I heard she carried that behavior of her until recently?" Kyle smiled before assenting, "Yes, until that incident when...she fell sick because of an overdose of potion." Kyle somehow managed to stop himself from saying, ''Until that incident when I was pushed to the brink of death''. He didn''t want to sound using and Edmund realized his intentions. "Kyle...you must be quite hateful toward our family, right? I mean, the way you were punished in the cell for a crime you never did...anyone would despise such a decision-maker." "Truth be told, Your Highness, I was surprised that Your Majesty didn''t order my extermination on the spot. Given tia''s severe condition and the fondness, Your Majesty carries for her....I thought I had met my end. But thankfully, he only decided to lock me up for the time being. The wrongdoers who punished me in the cell are already dead, so I don''t carry resentment anymore." Edmund couldn''t believe these words which oozed maturity were spoken by the same kid who used to pull tia''s ponytail and fight with her all day. "You have changed Kyle." Kyle just smiled briefly at the man but didn''t say anything to that. Another brief silence ensued between the two as they walked under the moonlight with seemingly less awkwardnesspared to before. Kyle could sense that Edmund was mustering up his courage to utter something which urged him to say, "Please ask away anything you have in mind, Your Highness. I will be honest with my answer." Edmund looked at Kyle with surprise but he soon calmed down and inwardly scolded himself for being so transparent. However, he didn''t hold back for long and finally asked Kyle, "Kyle...in the future if your feelings toward tia grow and mature into something more than what a servant-master or friend should have....what would you do?" In these ten days, Edmund had noticed his sister''s fondness toward Kyle exceeds normalcy and it was slowly transforming into blind obsession. However, at the same time, he couldn''t see the same affection from Kyle. The respect and affection he carries for tia was still something under limits. And given they are childhood friends, a little teasing from Kyle''s side was normal. There was a long silence that descended between the two and by the looks of it, Edmund didn''t seem to be in a rush to hear his answer. Edmund didn''t know what was going through Kyle''s mind but the silver-head seemed conflicted as to what to say. A sigh Edmund heard from Kyle before the boy finally revealed, "I will either run away with tia or try to gain a noble status so Your Majesty can let me have tia as my bride." For once, Edmund couldn''t believe Kyle just said that. And secondly, said so smoothly that for a moment Edmund felt he wasn''t tia''s brother but rather Kyle''s friend here. "To n on eloping with my sister and telling me about it beforehand...Imend your courage." Kyle just offered a smirk and chose to remain silent. "Haha~I like that attitude, Kyle." Edmund paused in his tracks as he brought his hand over Kyle''s shoulder with a merryugh escaping his lips. However, soon theugh died down and the hold on Kyle''s shoulder became a little firm, as Edmund said, "But beware Kyle. Regardless of what rtionship you may have with Tia in the future if you ever allow her to cry because of anything...I wille for vengeance." Kyle''s response was swift, "I won''t disappoint you, Your Highness." A swift response doesn''t always indicate insincerity¡ªit also can mean that the answerer is quite confident in himself. Edmund wanted to believe thetter to be the case. ******* [Kyle''s POV:] After separating from Edmund I was about to go to my room but then I felt a tug on ve Cor and knew my mistress was calling me These days we have formed a new way of calling each other if we wanted to talk secretly. Since Edmund mostly remained alert during the daytime, tia began calling me during the night after everyone fell asleep. Not a good idea but not a bad one as well. I checked my surroundings after summoning Beta and found there was no spy keeping track of mine. I slowly walked towards tia''s room and found the door open already. "I aming in....." My voice trailed off a bit as my gazended on the ethereal beauty, currently sitting on her bed with a faint blush adorning her cheeks. Her silvery blond hair was cascading down her shoulder like a waterfall and her porcin skin seemed radiating the same shade under which she was currently positioned. She was wearing a low-cut single-piece nightdress with a deep neck. She has developed this past year quite well and that night dress hugged her curves really well. I schooled my gaze a momentter than what could have been regarded as appropriate before making my way toward her. "You called me, mydy?" My gaze remained on her violet eyes as I controlled my emotions fairly well. "Fufu~" ....well the way she giggled signifies that she ''saw'' lust in my aura, even for a moment. Not good. Gotta keep myposure or her teasing would only elevate. "How did the talk with my brother go?" As she said, she patted the seat beside her. I sat down before tia leaned on me and held my hand with our fingers sped. The fragrance of her natural scent blended with her body wash made me dizzy for a moment but my response never wavered, "It went well. He just told me to take care of you and....we were done soon after." I deliberately hid the discussion regarding the marriage and stuff that Edmund brought up. Given tia''s growing affection for me, it wouldn''t have been surprising if she suddenly suggested eloping right now. "Is that so....well, he doesn''t need to care about it. I know, Kyle will always be with me." Hearing her words, I suddenly remembered something which I needed to tell....or more like ask her. Although I felt pretty nonchnt about this previously, right now, in the atmosphere I was feeling kind of nervous Regardless, this was urgent as such I didn''t take long before uttering, "....can you go to the academy tomorrow without me?" "--!!" ****** A/N:- The Academy arc hasn''t begun since there is still some months left. tia has to go there for written exams. Well, I informed since I didn''t want to raise your hopes. Drop ament. Chapter 32- What changed Chapter 32- What changed What changed that made tia so affectionate toward me? Canonically, she treated Kyle just as her friend and butler because of some unknown reasons. The pre-canon events, which I currently was going through, were never revealed but I guess Kyle''s obsessed behavior must have creeped her out and she ended up friend-zoning him. Once they reached the Academy, there were some lines I remember where tia explicitly told Kyle to never enter her room in the morning because of her disheveled appearance which she didn''t want him to see. Deducting from that I could tell that it was the real Kyle''s behavior that kept her on the edge all the time. And in the end, once she heard that her eldest brother was killed by Kyle, she left him for good. However, things are different now. What the real Kyle was forbidden from, I was invited to do such things. Not only do I enter tia''s room early in the morning before she wakes up, but I also get to see her rare childish and affectionate sight of all people. And the one thing which the canon Kyle could have never achieved was partaken by mest night. tia and I slept in the same bed. Although we didn''t do anything other than some cuddling and soft whispering under the same nket, it still was a very huge leap in our rtionship. Why would I agree to sleep in the same bed as my mistress, you ask? Well, the condition she put in exchange for going to the academy without me, was for me to spend a night with her. Now, it was early morning and the perfect time for me to return to my room to avoid getting seen by others. However, "How can you be so shameless, ? I know you are awake." I sighed, feeling her supple body pressed against mine and her head pressed against my chest. Her arm remained on my waist and our legs; were entangled. Shezily parted her lids, with a mischievous smile adorning her lips, "Calling youdy, shameless...I guess this calls for a punishment?" My eyes widened but before I could move away she nted her lips against my corbone and sucked on it pretty hard "..., you know that will leave a mark, right?" I sighed; feeling helpless in her arms. "So what? I am just dering who this person belongs to~" Took a moment of rest, before continuing her early morning punishment. "Seriously, mydy was this pervert I never knew...." In return for my muttering, she only giggled once she was done sucking me. ....well, that sounded pretty weird. After some more cuddling and pampering her, I finally got out of bed and headed toward my room in silence Since it was still nearly four, I told tia to sleep some more. Walking toward my room with light steps, I couldn''t help but sigh. You see, I am pretty nervous. Not because tia had entrance written exams today. I know she would pass with flying colors. The reason for my anxiety was the pre-canon incident which I need to defuse today. Canonically, there was a character who got suspicious of Kyle using Dark Arts and kept a watch on him. Later on, that character reveals his secret and bes one of the biggest reasons for Kyle''s downfall. Although I am not the same evil Kyle who would use my powers for some petty yet wicked reasons, it''s still a fact that I am a Curse User. Whether for good cause or not, my powers connect me to the Dark World as such it was sphemous. Although I know my secret will be revealed at a certain point in the future, I still want to preserve it as long as I can. That''s why I have to change a pre-canon event which could lead to my demise. ''I just pray that everything goes as I have nned....'' ****** [Three hourster] Edmund was apanying tia to the Academy before he would head to the Capital from mid-way while returning. There were several high-ranked guards along with the security in chief Collen escorting the two nobles. Magical and physical barriers were chanted around the carriage and the carriage itself worked like a shield to protect the passengers. And if the worst happens, tia herself was a highly trained warrior who could protect herself in case of emergency. I have ensured every preparation myself, and surprisingly no soldier seemed reluctant to answer my questions. Maria was going with tia to take care of her necessities. It would take them one day and a half to return to Belur even though this is the closest town to the Academy. Well, it was all good since I also needed some time to finish that job. "Kyle~Are you nning to go somewhere dangerous again?" Suddenly, I felt a chill snaking down my spine as I heard her cold voice reaching to me from behind. I turned to look at mydy with a strained smile on my face before I asked, "What do you mean by that, mydy?" "Hmm? I just felt that Kyle was lying about his busy schedule since he wanted to go for another venture. I wonder if I am just overthinking things. " I wanted to nod. But I can''t. She knows about me a lot more than I wanted her to. Guh! tia smirked at my struggle before stepping closer. I looked around and found there was no one in the reception area, fortunately. tia pressed her index finger against my chest before her soft yet chilling whisper reached my senses, "If I sense something wrong again, I won''t hesitate to pull you back to me." *Gulp* Looking at those lifeless eyes and that ominous smile I couldn''t help but gulp as I shook my head vertically. Now, this version of tia was also something that the real Kyle never experienced... ***** Once tia left I returned to my room and began preparing. I used Beta to check my surroundings and there was no one spying on me, fortunately. I changed my clothes and wore something more convenient for moving through the wilderness. The town I have to reach is far from the previous one where I went to rescue ra. However, I can achieve this since my proficiency with Beta has elevated in the past two weeks. The forest around the mansion was my yground. Thanks to Beta, I teleported far enough to not get under the radar of surveince and practiced my spells in peace. Now, I am strong enough to tackle the Breboar which was D-rank. I still can''t handle any other beast if theye in one-on-one between me and Breboar, but that''s okay. For someone who has transmigrated into this world only a month ago, I think I was progressing quite well. Wearing a full-sleeved top wear which was made of leather and some other fabrics, I put a vest over it. Bottom wear consisted of simr fabric but it was a little too skin-tight. Especially around my butt. Regardless, this was the best I had. Sheathing the dagger in the holder on my waist, I checked my potion supply. Thanks to the abundance of potions ra gave me, I could be a little more reckless. Well, given the battle awaiting, I would be relying on these potions the most. All things checked, I took hold of my spear and jumped out of the window, and before my feet could touch the ground, I teleported far away from the mansion. The second pre-canon event; here Ie. ******** A/N:- Damn....I wonder how tia would react once she gets face-to-face with ra. Chapter 33- I will make it possible Chapter 33- I will make it possible *GRRRRRR* Finally, the day when I would take my revenge. On my first venture to the forest, I was tricked by a Hazy-Akron who pushed me to the Breboar and left me to die so it could escape the clutches of the predator. Now, today, after two weeks I was in front of the Akron once again. The left eye scar it had, helped me identify this one out of the horde that I came across while traveling to my destination. Naturally, I didn''t want to fight a whole bunch of E-rank illusion creators, that''s why I swiftly made my way to the target and teleported it away along with me to a faraway ce¡ªwhere no one would disturb me from turning this guy into skewers. The Akron has four antlers which tells that it''s an adult one with some battle experience, given the scar and scratches it had. Although they generally tend to fall under E-rank, I have to be careful. My Beta was in use all the time since I didn''t want to get my eyes off the creature until I didn''t skin it. "Come on, bitch. Only one of us would live through this day." I raised my right hand and provoked the bastard. It took the bait and pawed the ground aggressively like a bull. Its gray hazy eyes stared into mine for a moment before it advanced. Its figure was easily traceable thanks to the rigorous training and the support of Beta I had. I smirked at that before summoning my Alpha on my left hand. Streaks of mes surrounded my wrist like a bracelet and I chanted a big spell¡ªenough to satiate my frustration. "Alpha: Dragonfire Conjure." A three-circle spell which only a second-year student could chant, red out of my finger and directed towards the advancing mutated creature. The vortex ofva me charged at a frightening pace, burning everything under the sheer heat of the spell. The Deer had no time to halt or retreat before the spell shot against its wide pectoral region. "GHEEUUUUU!!" The loud cry of the creature was thest thing I heard before the huge explosion went off in the middle of the forest. **BOOOOOOM** The once serene forest now echoed with the crackling of mes and the roar of destruction, a stark contrast to its former peacefulness. The red and orange mes erupted across a wide range and if not for my timely teleportation then I might have gotten hurt. ''...did I overdo it?'' Feeling the tremor of the surface and the smell of burning foliage, I thought it was better to deal with the deer with Linear: Burn. But well, it feels nice to get revenge~ Once I ensured that the mes weren''t spreading, I teleported away. ****** "If you don''t mind, can I ask you something, Tia?" It has been two hours since they boarded the carriage and left for the Academy. Edmund has been finishing some of the paperwork regarding some fresh recruitment for tia''s security around the Academy. Once he was done, he raised a query, which urged tia to lift her eyes from the book she was reading. "How do you feel about Kyle?" tia wasn''t surprised that this was about Kyle. She knew her brothers have always been a bit overprotective when ites to her, and given how she has been behaving around Kyle these days, it was no surprise for him to ask such a thing. However, she wasn''t going to give a straight answer, "Why are you concerned?" Although she didn''t tell him right away, it wasn''t like she herself was sure how she felt about him. Or more like she has yet to admit it. Edmund remained silent for a moment¡ªhis expression morphing into a serious one as he said, "This year, you will get engaged to one of the three nobles that Father has selected. I think you must be aware of our tradition, right?" tia''s fist clenched upon hearing that. Right, how can she forget that she is no ordinary girl who can choose her partner and spend her life with him? She is a royalty with a variety of duties; among which marrying a ''worthy'' man was also included. "Why are you telling me this?" tia didn''t add something like ''Why is this rted to Kyle?'' since she knew, it was fruitless. Her feelings must have been conveyed to her brother regarding Kyle. Rather, she asked for a solution, if Edmund may have. "Tia...you know it''s not possible for a Princess and a servant to get married right? It''s not a tradition but a universally epted rule." "Yes, I am aware. But that doesn''t mean, I would just follow whatever is being forced upon me. My life is mine alone and I can do whatever I want with it." "And for that are you willing to abandon your family?" tia was taken aback by the question he asked with his lips morphed into a sad smile. Not a word left tia''s lips yet he understood what her answer would be. An awkward silence ensued between the two for a good minute as tia contemted what she should say. Edmund didn''t seem to be in a rush and gave her time to set her priorities straight. Amidst the silence, her hesitant murmur reached his ears, "If Kyle regains his former noble title, I suppose there won''t be anything to object, right? " "But how would he achieve his ranking, Tia? Not until he partakes in a great feat that could be beneficial to the Empire or the entire human race, there is no hope." tia didn''t muster up any reply since she was unsure for now. However, the uncertainty never affected her resolve to spend her life with Kyle. Regardless of what happens in the future, tia will find a way to continue living her life with Kyle. She was extremely absolute about it. ******* [Kyle''s POV:] ''Haaah~ I should get going already... '' Sitting on the branch of arge twin-stump pine tree, I cooked the meat which I extracted from that damn deer. It was already mid-noon with the sun now perpendicr to my head. Although the clothes arefortable and don''t allow the sweat to linger, the hot weather feels irritating and stuffy. The reason why I was having my time, cooking this food and enjoying it with the fresh fruit extracted juice, stems from the fact that the event I need to diffuse starts at midnight today. The character I need to save is named Charlotte, whoes from a very small town. Tonight, that town would be attacked by a C-ranked demonized monster along with some low-ranked ones as well. Naturally, not having the empire''s protection the townspeople couldn''t protect themselves for long and sumbed to the embrace of eternal sleep. Since, luckily, Charlotte survives the ambush, she swears in the name of her deceased parents that she will y every demon in this world. And because of thatmitment, she begins studying about Demons and Demonized creatures. Her resolve to avenge her parents is so prominent that she meets a fallen fairy in the jungle, who gives her the blessing of Appraisal. That skill of hers, allows Charlotte to distinguish between Aura and the magic structure of different beings. As such, the chances of her revealing my secrets elevate dramatically. That''s why I need to save her and her town so she doesn''t get obsessed with the destruction of Demons and try seeking the blessing of the fallen deity to take revenge. I will also leave some subtle hints of my identity when I rescue her, so in the future, if by chance she gets to know about my secret, I could emotionally manipte her. ''The best thing about these fictional heroines is their simple and kind heart...'' Finishing thest skewer I started cleaning up the ce and preparing to take my leave. Now that everything was nned and sorted, I just needed to believe in myself and change another pre-canon event that could endanger my life. Chapter 34- Meeting her Chapter 34- Meeting her How do Monsters turn into Demons? There are two famous methods to change a monster on the side of Light into a creature of Dark. First; forced transformation. There are dark arts popr amongst the Dark Mages of the demon realm where they perform a short ritual and change the origin of a being. This ritual has a certain sess rate based on the affinity of the creature. Monsters like Griffin or Dragons who have a strong will might resist the ritual and retain their form. However, the weaker monsters just sumb. Second; contact with the Dark Water that seeps through the cracks in the dimensional barrier. The Demon World isn''t the part of the but a different dimension. As such, the wall that separates the two worlds might get damaged due to time or some other reasons. And because of those cracks, the air molecules of the Dark World get condensed once they interact with the colder temperature of the human realm; affecting the being whoes in contact with Dark Water. In thetter case, the creature can be baptized but the chances of them retaining their sanity is very few. The difference between a monster and a demon is their skills and mindset. The skill that a monster possesses, improves once they get demonized. The mindset of a creature changes dramatically as well. Due to the transformation, they lose their sanity and the only thought thates to their mind is ughter. That''s why, if you see a high-ranking monster, you run. But if you see a high-leveled demon; you pray. ****** The town where Charlotte lives is a little smaller than Travenstoff but it''s more peaceful. There are no city boundaries in this town since it''s a self-governing province¡ªunder no nobility. Hazemerg is one of the few towns that is still adhering to self-governing policies and has never faced any circumstances because of its liberal mindset. They have direct permission from the Second Emperor to maintain their way of governance and up until now, all the Emperors who have seeded to the throne never tried imposing new rules over Hazemerg. Naturally, since they weren''t under the rule of any Lord or Noble figure, they didn''t have the specialized personnel at their disposal for security and stuff. Being confident in self-reliance, the townsmen have always protected their mothend, all by themselves until now. However, since Hazemerg is surrounded by many other towns, they have yet to face a demon. Thest time, a demon appeared in Hazemerg, the Mayor of the town handled it, at the expense of his own life. But this time, there was no highly-ranked warrior in Hazemerg who could go against any C-rank demon. That''s why I am here. Around four in the evening, I finally reached the town which was about to get wrecked in a few hours. I was exhausted from traveling for so long, and as such, I decided to sleep for a few hours after having a decent meal. Entering Hazemerg wasn''t a problem since I used my teleportation. And untilst time, I didn''t need to let the security soldiers see my face. I am using a simr wooden mask to hide my face since it would be problematic if Charlotte sees me here...or worse any other character who unexpectedly appears in the Starfall Academy. A hood over my head, my vest removed, and my hair tied. I think I looked civil enough to not get eyed by others. ''My sockets are nearing their full potential...'' The source through which I channel magic in my body is the two magic receptors that I have essed through different means. However, now I was reaching their limits and the chances of my third awakening were near. *Trng* With those thoughts, I walked inside an inn which has an eatery as well. "--!!" There were many people around however, the first person on whom my eyesnded was ''her''. Chestnut shade hair which has been bound in a bun to not hinder her work. Her emerald eyes sparkled with a mysterious light as she looked at me with surprise. A slender body coupled with a small and innocent face. Charlotte Evans¡ªthe second main female lead and the witch who can cause my downfall, stood there spellbound just like me. "Char?" Suddenly someone called for her from behind the counter which helped me and her as well, to break out of our daze. ....seriously, I thought I was immune to beautiful people then why... "Table for how many?" Charlotte walked up to me and asked in a slightly anxious voice. "For one, please." I thought I would make a quick exit but well, there was no other choice it seems. Charlotte nodded before leading the way to the inner side of the eatery where a small table was vacant. There were two seats, one of which I pulled for myself and sat down. "What would you like to have?" The demeanor I was expecting from her has returned as she asked in a solemn voice. Before the incident, Charlotte did not have much of a friendly attitude because of her runaway father and after she loses her mother and siblings she bes nothing but indifferent and quite rude. Skimming through the menu, I decided to order something light, "Red meat steak, a loaf of bread, and something non-alcoholic and cold to drink on your rmendation." Charlotte noted my order before she told me to wait for some minutes and walked away. ''....haah, that was unexpected...'' Although I was prepared to face Charlotte, this sudden coincidental meeting caught me off guard. ******** tia was done with her exams but since the sun was nearing the horizon, her brother suggested to leave tomorrow in the morning. tia was confident that she would pass the entrance exams with ease. It was not overconfidence but a fact that no one can refute. Having the opportunity, she decided to roam in the nearby market situated on the same ind where the Academy is. The local market shop owners are all traders from all over the continent who pay a huge amount of sum to have their shop on the samend where the famous Starfall Academy is situated. Not only noble children but their parents also visit the Academy on several asions¡ªsignifying the reason for such a high price. Given that the traders bring forth the specialty of their native nations, allows the customers to browse through a variety of products. tia was scrolling through the market to buy something for Kyle...something he can wear all the time and reminds him of her. ''A ring... would be too much...should I buy a melee weapon?'' Kyle has been turning into a battle freak recently. He spends most of his leisure time when not performing his job as her butler, in training and battling against Collen. Sometimes tia feels jealous of Collen because it seems Kyle enjoys his time with the Captain a lot. She reached a big shop where various kinds of small and big weapons were on disy. There, she suddenly spotted a familiar person with whom she got acquainted recently. "Professor ra." The violet-haireddy was also one of the invigtors of the ssroom where tia and several other students gave a written exam today. "Hmm...ah! Isn''t it Princess tia?" "Just call me, tia, Professor," tia suggested as such since in the Academy, one''s social standing didn''t matter. Everyone was equal inside the boundaries of the Academy. "I can call you that inside the ssroom...but here, you are a princess." ra extended her reasoning, which tia didn''t refute. tia soon began browsing through the weapon again, seemingly assuming that the conversation now was over, when suddenly, it was ra who asked, "I thought you were pursuing magic as your primary subject?" tia raised her brows before answering her, "This is a gift for someone. What about you, Professor?" tia had a friendly exchange with ra back in the examination hall as well, which exins why tia seemed friendly toward the violette. "What a coincidence! I am also here to pick a weapon for a special someone. Since he uses a spear, I am thinking of buying something simr." "--!" For a moment, tia''s body went still. Spear user...Kyle...is she... However, she soon shook her head. There were numerous people who uses spear. ...however, little did she know... ******* A/N:- Hmm~~~ Chapter 35- Advice Chapter 35- Advice "What happened Char? You look dazed?" It was notmon for Remi Evans to see her daughter in such a listless state. Charlotte has always been a responsible and focused child who takes her job seriously and was good academically as well. Unfortunately, after her husband ran away a few years ago, Charlotte firmly rejected her mother''s suggestion to join the Starfall Academy even though Charlotte was an Awakened. Being a mother of such a hard-working child, Remi always felt very proud...and a little sad as well, since because of all the responsibility, Charlotte has to bury her childishness and be a grown-up all of a sudden. However, unlike most days, today Charlotte seemed a little off after she saw that masked man who was currently waiting for the food. "...don''t know why...but his eyes captivated me." Charlotte being Charlotte¡ªshe never hides anything from her mother and confesses whatever she feels without hesitation. Remi stifled a giggle as she replied, "Is it love at first sight, my daughter?" Suddenly Charlotte flinched before her expression hardened, "I am not going to fall for someone just at first sight. And certainly not when the person hides his face." "But isn''t it romantic? You feel excited to know him more and finally get to see his face when he begins trusting you?" "Yes, and it turns out he is a pig-faced." Remi giggled this time aloud; garnering attention in her direction. Those who came to see the older one felt their heart filling with awe as they raised their sses at the sight. Truly fascinating. "Will that matter, love? Don''t you remember that story when an ugly-faced prince saves the princess and yet she epts him and they happily live together? You used to read that a lot~" Charlotte scoffed, "My childish and silly self used to like such stupid stories. I am a grown-up now." Remi didn''t say anything about that and continued cooking. Both Remi and Charlotte know that even now, a part of thetter''s heart desires such a fairytale happenstance to ur with her. "Here." cing the tray of food on the counter, Remi added, "Serve it with a smile~" Charlotte ignored her mother''s grin and took hold of the tray before heading toward the table where the most suspicious man in the eatery sat. She resisted the urge to look into the parchment he was reading before she ced the tray on the table and said, "I hope you enjoy the meal." "You are an awakened right?" Charlotte flinched hearing him calling out to her all of a sudden. "Yes...I am." It was no secret that she is an awakened being since regrly, Charlotte has to use her divine blessings to ward off some pests who try to create trouble. Especially those whoe here just to flirt with her mother. "Have you not enrolled in the Starfall Academy?" "...no. I don''t have time for that." Charlotte frowned after hearing his suggestion all of a sudden. Who was he anyway? A professor or some kind of prodigy? Regardless, since Charlotte deemed the conversation to be over, she was about to turn around and leave, when suddenly he said something that shook her down to the core, "Stop trapping yourself in your past and strive for a better future." Charlotte gritted her teeth and was about to refute him...however, the moment she turned around, the whole tray of food along with the man was no longer there and only two gold coins were ced on the table. Charlotte frowned, not only because the dishes and the food were worth only three silver coins, but the fact that the man just used teleportation now. "A magician?" As she thought, there was something very strange about that masked person. ******* [Kyle''s POV:] "*Nom* *Nom*" Munching on the bread dipped in the meat sauce I thought about the little stunt I pulled just a few minutes ago. It was not an abrupt decision to call out for Charlotte. Canonically, she would have joined Starfall Academy because she wanted to avenge her family and that Academy was her only hope to be stronger and gain a license to be a Hunter. However, now that I was about to change the plot, I needed to do something about her ns¡ªif in case she decided to not join the Academy. ''Haah...now I just need to deal with the demon and be done with it...'' Finishing the meal I teleported the tray and dishes back in the eatery and decided to rent a room to rest for a few hours. ****** "For how many hours?" "Half a day, please," I told the receptionist while I thought about the n I would be following after the day falls. I have seven potions with me along with my weapon and straw dolls. If I exhaust too much energy to teleport the civilians out of the danger zone then I might not be able to fight against the Demon and its minion until the end. "Two silver coins please." "Here." And not to talk about, the demon is a C-rank, no less. From what I know, it would be a terrestrial type Gnome. Thankfully, since this demon is a transformed one, the Gnome wouldn''t carry its original intelligence¡ªwhich would make it easier to bait the demon. About the minions then I don''t have much information about them, but since they are working under a demon, they must be around rank E to D. "Your identity." "Here you go." Maybe I need to just destroy the whole town under the Four-Circle spell after evacuating all the citizens? But that would be burdensome and risky. What if I can''t get the whole town escape beforeunching the attack or after exhausting all my energy in that Four-Circle spell, what if the Demon survives? A lot of variables and a lot to think about. "Please enjoy your stay." Nodding to the receptionist, I took the room key and made my way upstairs. *Click* Although the room wasn''t grand, it was big enough to allow me to stretch a bit before the battle, and afortable bed awaited me. I searched the room for any surveince using Beta. Thankfully, there was nothing. I detached the mask and threw away my clothes before jumping on the bed. Haah~heavens. I will just take a quick nap and when I wake up...it will be hero...time.... ******** A/N:- Hmm~Chunni Kyle? Well, who cares? Is the POV switch good? I intend to introduce third-person POV only when involving new characters and battle scenes. Comments your thoughts. Chapter 36- I will protect you Chapter 36- I will protect you ''This can''t be happening...no....th-this....how did this happen?!'' Charlotte wiped the tear that blurred her vision with her teeth tightly clenched and her body heated up in stress and adrenaline. Facing the monsters was another thing however, not in a hundred years she could have anticipated to face a Demon in person. The town Hazemerg was located in the middle of four other cities which was governed by Count Whiskman. Given the Count title, Whiskman had enough troops and resources to ward off all the monsters and demons that could jeopardize the safety of the town under his jurisdiction. That''s why Hazemerg never felt the requirement to hire high-ranking mercenaries or create arge guild that would have attracted adventurers and hunters. Even though Hazemerg boasted its liberal policies and self-reliance, in the end, this town was dependent on Whiskman in one way or another. However, out of nowhere today, a demon with a huge build and ominous aura appeared in the town¡ªwith the sole intention of erasing Hazemerg from existence. Being a Divine Awakened, Charlotte was the first person to sense the approaching Darkness¡ªhowever, what she could do to save the townspeople? She was just a teenage girl, whose words wouldn''t be trusted and implemented just because she runs a famous inn. And now....facing the behemoth with more than twenty of herrades fallen dead, she couldn''t help but curse herself for not being able to prepare for this situation. Being awakened she couldn''t just hide and let the demon run havoc¡ªdespite her mother''s and sibling''s protest. However, all the boldmitments she left behind beforeing here, were nothing but baseless statements. She is weak. "Cha-rlotte....r-run...away...khuk!!" The person who knew Charlotte closely, Sean, begged Charlotte on hisst breath beforepletely falling on his face and breathing hisst breath. Not only Sean but everyone around her was relentlessly killed by the flying Imp who were on the side of the Demon and exhausting human lives like copper coins. Being a Divine Blessed being, no monster was approaching her...but it was a fact that apart from a barrier that she could erect to protect herself and one other person at most, could do nothing in front of the true terror. Definitely not anything against that horrendous demon! Looking at its massive head which has animated features with bulging cheeks, excessively round andrge eyes, and a cucumber-like nose, Charlotte didn''t feel likeughing at all. All she felt was great horror from the demon who was standing idly a hundred meters away from her. Only a single attack the Demon has portrayed until now, but that was enough to eradicate the front defense in one fell swoop and leave the soldiers in shambles. And now, everything was going haywire; "Gaaaah!! Heeeelp!! Help me!" "RETREAT!!" "WE CAN''T FIGHT SOMETHING LIKE THAT!" "HELP! I DON''T WANT TO DIE! I DON''T WANT TO DIE!" "Someone....please...." Charlotte''s eyes continued to water as she extended both of her hands...but was unable to extend her barrier and protect the soldier who was getting toyed by the Imps and begging for mercy. The soldiers were just the beginning, the townspeople were next. The Demon has created a Veil around the town¡ªprohibiting everyone from escaping. The hope of receiving help from neighboring towns was near zero since it was a known fact, that Hazemerg was not well-liked by those towns which were under Imperialws. The battle was turning in the worst way possible with every line of defense under the constant torment of the monsters and the yful watch of the demon. Even if everyone bets their lives to defeat the Imps...that demon would be simply impossible to deal with. "Char, look out!!" "Agh!" Because she was dazed and fallen into an endless loop of despair, she didn''t see the iing dark red orb, headed in her direction. Her barrier shattered in an instant and the girl was brought to her knees. The foul smell of the demon made her stomach wrench and her consciousness screamed for her to run as far as she could. This...she cannot face something like this! Not in a lifetime. She can''t ...she... *SQUELCH* Charlotte''s eyes widened and her thoughts came to an abrupt halt as she felt something passing through her torso and digging into the ground because of the sheer force. It was a spear, not a trident which the Imps were using. Turning her head, her shock amplified as trails of blood droplets rolled down her lips and she barely uttered a name, "R-Riley...?" Her childhood friend and neighbor was standing there with tears on his face yet the anger in his eyes couldn''t be mistaken. "It''s all because of you! That demon came here because you were here! You....an angel you were hailed as...now deal with the mess you have invited!" "KHUK!!" Charlotte winced and groaned in pain as suddenly, Riley kicked her gut and threw her towards the demon. Her vision became bleary as she saw the person she used to like¡ªrunning away from the battlefield. What did he say? Because of her, that demon arrived at this town...how can this be Charlotte''s fault....was her existence the cause of everyone''s death....or because she is the most unfortunate one that everyone leaves her behind? She couldn''t hear anything anymore. Her consciousness was fading and the hope to live anymore was seemingly exhausted away. ''....I wonder what the afterlife would....be...li...'' "It must be a pretty nice ce...but you aren''t going there for now." Charlotte could faintly hear someone''s voice from close as all the other echoes of chaos seemingly faded away for some reason. Despite her detroitirating state, she could feel the long arms of the person securing her in his embrace and parting her lips to feed her something cold and soothing. Instinctively she parted her lips even more and actively gulped the impossibly sweet nectar. A moment passed and another, before Charlotte realized something. Her body was a lot morefortable than before. Her mind was now stable and if she strained her eyes a little... "Ah..." The moment she forced herself to part her eyelids, she was startled to be greeted by the wooden mask. Her consciousness was not a lot clearer once she gazed into those eyes she had seen earlier today. Her mind was so upied by those eyes that she noticed her surroundings a minuteter. "W-Where am I...?" She could faintly feel the ominous aura of the demon and she still was in the town but the battlefield was definitely very far from here. The masked man, cupped her cheeks to calm her down¡ªand truth be told, it worked. "I know you are anxious and scared but try to collect your thoughts. Your family needs you." "B-but...the de-demon..." Even if she calms herself down and gets back to her family, would that even matter? The demon surely wasn''t going to spare anyone today. However, hearing his following statement truly helped her mind and body to regain itsposure. "Charlotte, on the name of the food your mother has fed me today, I swear that I will protect you and this town by purging that demon. So just go back to your family and wait for me there, okay?" Charlotte had no idea about this man''s identity. She wasn''t sure whether he was strong or not. She didn''t know if she could trust his words or not. ...yet, betraying all odds, she found herself believing the man and nodding her head. Clutching the hem of his shirt, she pleaded in a voice that she didn''t know, she still possessed, "Please return safely." "Mm, I will." ********* A/N:- Another harem member, get! Chapter 37- The hunt~1 Chapter 37- The hunt~1 Grotesque yet funny are the terms I can use to describe this Demon. It hasn''t moved since it destroyed the first line of defense and has been patiently waiting for its minion to do the job while the Gnome watched with an extended smile on its ridiculous face. There were twelve Imps around the city front at the moment. And all twelve of them seemed around D-rank. Bat-like wings, skull faces, bony bodies, crooked postures and using tridents as their weapons. These Imps are mostly found in desert regions or used as scavengers in big prisons. Regardless, they weren''t that strong that I would have to exhaust too much energy. The most problematic part is their flight ability which allows them to scatter around and prevent me from annihting them at once. Troublesome. I stood on a building top while gazing at the ongoing battle. The human side was not even strong enough to damage a single Imp to the verge of death but in response more than three dozen men have died already. This much was under my calction so I didn''t panic. But any more than this would be troublesome. Imps are cold-blooded beings who seek warmth and follow the path of light¡ªand no, I am not being metamorphic here. Summoning Alpha on my palm, I raised it high above my head and conjured a simple yet huge me that illuminated the whole region. The me eruption was enough to make all the Imps stop in their tracks and look at me. Even the Demon turned its neck to gaze at me¡ªbut I knew, it was far from interested in attacking yet ''Strange...I thought this Gnome has lost its sanity...'' It wouldn''t be a lie to say I wasn''t nervous a little. But backing off at this point was no longer an option. *HIRRRRR* *HEEEEEEHHEEHH* The ominousughter and giggles of the Imps reached my ears as they gathered side by side and began rushing in my direction; abandoning their previous targets. I smirked at that¡ªpretty foolish creatures. "Alpha: Liner Burn!" Summoning a Two-Circle spell, I shot the huge fireball in the direction from where the Imp approached The fireball was about a football in dimension but hitting them directly never was my goal. They might be foolish but sensing the approaching doom, the Imps tried scattering around and avoiding the trajectory. With a swift motion, my connected index and middle fingers parted, causing the fireball to split into two streaks. At mymand, they surged forward with increased velocity, effectively restraining the creatures and maintaining the formation. The twin lines of mes served as a barrier, encircling the Imps, who appeared to have overlooked their ability to ascend higher into the air. It was a psychological maneuver,pelling them to believe they were caged within the fiery enclosure. The momentary shock of the Imps was enough for me to draw another magic circle above the horde and this time, I went for three circles. "Alpha: Meteor Fall!" Threerge boulders appeared from those huge spell circles and rushed toward the Imps. However, before it could have made contact with its target, a dark red orb flew toward the meteors and exploded them into pieces. **BOOOOM** I instantly took cover behind a wall since the explosion sent the burning meteor fragments in all directions. The loud howls of humans and Imps resonated across the battlefield¡ªsuggesting that I had caused damage to either side. ''That damned demon has awareness of the surrounding...how can it sustain its intelligence? '' It was making me frustrated now. I jumped back on the rooftop and red at the Demon. The smirk on its face seemed a little more profound¡ªmuch to my ire. I looked at the Imps and found six of the twelve had burned enough to be rendered useless. Regardless I didn''t take a chance, and summoned Alpha-Linear and formed a thin arrow. Alpha: Linear allows me to freely manipte me in any shape. However, the size of the me is reversibly proportional to my control over it¡ªthat''s why I only conjured a thin streak for now. I shot the arrow toward the fallen Imps and this time the Demon didn''t stop me from piercing their heart with me and ceasing their life. The brethren of those fallen gnashed their teeth and shot their blood-red eyes in my direction The first one to attack me was the smallest Imp from the group. I wielded my spear and shed against its trident. *CLANG* Deflecting the attack was no big deal but the Imp was no amateur fighter as well. It purposely showed its back to me and directed the sharp butt of the trident toward my torso. ''Cheeky eh.... '' I held the trident by its end and released my spear for a moment¡ªonly to grab my weapon from its neck. The Imp was trapped in my hold since it couldn''t let go of its trident on time. I seized the opportunity and brushed the tip of my spear de against the nape of the Imp¡ªbefore a fountain of reddish-ck blood began to spurt. "*KHEEEEEEK*" The Imp helplessly iled and cried, but I didn''t release it. In just three seconds, I dispatched the first Imp, and before I could fully grasp the victory, the second one was upon me. Thanks to Beta, my awareness extended to 360 degrees, allowing me to sense the one sneaking up from behind. It received an unexpected strike of my elbow spear to its skull before I swiftly spun around and cleaved my spear in a full arc, severing the Imp''s head from its body. The battle with the remaining flying creature went as easy as I anticipated. Thankfully, they never stopped charging nor even started using their mind. They had the advantage of flight and townspeople could have been used as my weakness. But well, thankfully, they kept it straight and simple. *SLASH* Cutting off thest Imp into several chunks, I heaved a long breath. The sweat umted on my head was wiped away as I rechecked my surroundings. The pile of six Imps surrounded me while the other sixy on the surface with their body pierced and burned. My body hasn''t received a single damage but my clothes have been tainted by my opponent''s blood. Those people who were watching this spectacle had a cken-jaw reaction. I see, I must have given them an overwhelming show. ''Should I make a pose or something?'' Abandoning my needless thoughts, I focused on the Gnome once again. It was no longer smirking. And for some reason, that made me smile. ''Did I piss off Grandpa fool?'' Jerking my spear I swatted away the blood before preparing myself. The Gnome was about fifteen feet in height and its body was definitely stronger than an ice pir. It can conjure those curse balls or whatever they were and have any stats-enhancing ability. If what I remember from my past life about this Demon is true then I have a definite n on how I can deal with it. Flexing my fingers, I summoned Beta in my free hand before I saw the Demon also preparing to attack. So this gonna be who attacks first huh. Very well. ''This surely would be the toughest battle I have ever faced...'' ****** A/N:- Didn''t include the battle against Demon since it would have felt rushed. I will wrap up this arc in two more chapters, then finally, we will proceed to Academy arc. Let''s see~ Chapter 38- The hunt~2 Chapter 38- The hunt~2 "Huh?" In the middle of the night, tia suddenly woke up from her slumber and found her breathing a little out of order. The sheet rustled as she lifted her back off the bed and looked at her trembling hand. ...this anxious feeling. tia was nervous for some reason. Her back was drenched with sweat and her head glistened with it. Her whole person seemed to be shaken up because of this strange sensation she was experiencing. Subconsciously her hand trailed toward her lower belly where the ve Mark was engraved. The thought of Kyle shed across her mind as some words left her lips, "Whatever you are up to...please be safe..." Little did she think, that contrary to her warning which she gave beforeing here, Kyle was betting his life for the sake of his future. ***** [Hazemerg] [12.31 AM] Kyle stood on the rooftop while facing the giant demonized Gnome. They both stood in silence for a moment¡ªseemingly assessing each other with just their gaze. Kyle has previously dispatched the twelve minions of the Demon without incurring any damage during the confrontation. His advantagey in closebat and thanks to the simple-minded nature of the Imps he was able to provoke them into drawing close for the battle. However, now, Kyle was feeling a little anxious. From his knowledge, this Gnome should have been firing off his Cursed attack all around the ce and behaving like a lunatic¡ªthe natural sign of a demonized creature. However, this Gnome seemed to be free of those shorings and was behaving a lot moreposed than what Kyle expected. Indeed a valid reason to be concerned. Regardless, the moment the demon raised its left arm and summoned another dark-crimson Cursed Orb, Kyle also conjured a one-circle spell¡ªDual Strike. The two balls of mes propelled across the buildings and headed toward the Demon¡ªwho had released the Cursed Orb as well. However, under Kyle''s irritated gaze, the Cursed Orbs absorbed the me balls and continued their march in Kyle''s direction; without receiving any jerk in the path. Kyle switched to n B and teleported his way out of the trajectory. The Cursed Orb obliterated the building and consumed everything within a certain proximity before disappearing. Kyle noted the effect as he appeared just right behind the Gnome and tried imnting his hand on the Demon''s back¡ªintending to teleport it further away from the popce. "Gaaaah!!" However, the moment his palm touched the skin of the Demon, he experienced the scorching heat that the Gnome was unintentionally producing¡ªthanks to its immense magic reserve. Kyle held his burned hand before warping away. His hand up to his wrist was burnt bright red and smoke leaked out of it. "GUEHEHEHEHEHE!" The ominousughter that could send a shiver of dread down its enemy''s spine resonated across the town as the Gnome held its belly andughed in mirth upon seeing its opponent in pain. Kyle gritted his teeth but soonposed himself. Sweat dropped continuously down his face as he rejected the thought of consuming a potion just for a burn. He was already at the loss of two potions. Any further use needs serious contemtion. ''Okay, this guy is strong...need to be-'' Kyle''s train of thought was broken as he saw another Curse Orb heading in his direction at a far greater pace than before. He barely had the time to move so he rather chose to warp away and the ce where he appeared was behind the Gnome. "Alpha: sma Field!" Conjuring another Two-Circle spell, he inmed the surface around the Gnome¡ªmaking the Demon jump on its spot because of the raised temperature. However, this much was not enough. Kyle used his Cursed Doll Alpha to cast Line Burn and shot it from three directions¡ªaiming the Demon''s eyes and one; at the back of the neck. From his knowledge, the back of the neck is the most vulnerable part of a Gnome monster and the eyes of any creature remain one of their most crucial yet delicate organs. The Gnome was iling around because of the burning floor¡ªhowever, it was Kyle''s misunderstanding that the Demon ever snatched its eyes from the surroundings. The moment Linear Burn advanced, the Gnome stopped jumping around and raised both of its chubby and short arms¡ªwhich began glowing for some reason. "What the....?!" Under Kyle''s horrified gaze, his released attack stopped midair¡ªjust inches away from their target. The Gnome brought the three me Balls in front of its face before a very low blow released from its maw extinguished the fire. Not only that, Kyle realized by the way the Gnome wasfortably holding its ground that the Demon never was troubled because of the sma floor. It was just making fun of Kyle! ''...I have to move fast...'' Kyle didn''t know what kind of hidden skill the Gnome just used but this definitely was bad news. As such, he didn''t take any chance and warped away and chanted a spell at the same time. Kyle kept on teleporting as he saw the Gnome''s eyes moving in the same direction where he appeared¡ªmaking Kyle too wary to remain in one spot. Once the chanting of the new spell was done, Kyle again teleported away and appeared several meters above the Gnome''s head. For the first time, Kyle was utilizing this spell. Reason? The sheer destructive power of this spell. "Alpha: ze Torrent!" The three spell circle released a huge amount of me¡ªflowing in the manner of water waves and advancing toward the Demon. The diameter of this attack was three times the actual size of the Demon and the pace of the flow was far greater than what a huge creature could dodge even if it has a self-enhancement technique. **BOOOOOOOOOOM** A resounding howl echoed from the me wave, reminiscent of the cries of a vast battlefield. The scorching heat radiating from Kyle''s power threatened to consume a quarter of the town with ease if unleashed upon it. The searing surface hissed ominously, a chilling sound that filled the air as Kyle hovered motionless, propelled by the reverse force generated by the me Torrent. Just seven secondster after the spell was released, Kyle pulled away and heaved a long sigh. The surface around the area has melted and deformed. This spell was not something students are allowed to learn until the third year even those who have a high affinity with elemental magic. However, Kyle was not in the correct state to praise himself. Reason? "GUEHEHEHEHE." The Gnome did not receive a single burn from the attack. Kyle''s half-lidded eyes parted wide as he free-fell toward the Demon. He was about to warp away when suddenly his body got stuck in mid-air and something took hold of his whole person, restraining him from moving around. "Guh...agh.." Kyle groaned¡ªhis body was getting locked in ce and his muscles were being strained. The hold of whatever it was, was quite strong and especially against someone who couldn''t use body-enhancing magic. ''T-Telekinesis?'' It was absurd to think that the Demon was hiding such a skill until now. Kyle never heard of any of these skills other than those Curse Orbs when he was watching the shback of Charlotte. Now that he thinks about it, Hazemerg''s guards were so weak that the Demon didn''t have to use any other skill. "Aaaagh!!" Kyle howled in pain as the Demon began twisting his body while grinning at Kyle. Kyle teleported away and stood on another rooftop. His body was no longer in the Demon''s possession...but it didn''tst long before Kyle again felt his body getting restrained under an invisible force. His bones of arms snapped and his body convulsed. This sheer pain was unlike anything he had faced before. This painful and restricting sensation...Kyle was feeling helpless. Warping away again, he summoned Alpha and released a huge fireball toward the Demon. In response, the Gnome simply controlled the me advancing in its direction and kept on tracking Kyle and holding him. "Agh...fuck...." Kyle warped far away before, with shaky hands he was about to take out a vial of recovery potion¡ªwhen suddenly the whole pouch of potions along with the one he was holding¡ªbroke down and all the liquid just drenched his clothes and spread on the floor. With a horrified expression, Kyle looked far away from the spot he previously was. This can''t be....the Demon has somehow marked Kyle and is now tracking him without having his visuals. "KUEEHEHEHEHEHEHEH~" The evilughter of the Demon again resounded as Kyle found his body weakening and mind turning nk because of the numbing pain. He had used a lot of energy in thest assault and since he didn''t have any potion, his fatigue was umting and reaching the limit. Amidst his self-assession, Kyle''s body was shot through the sky as he advanced toward the Demon. Kyle was like a broken kite who had lost control on his body. The Demon pulled Kyle toward itself before bashing its joined fist directly on Kyle''s head¡ªsending him hurtling to the ground "KHUKKK!" Kyle''s nose bled as he felt his cranium cracking a little by that hit. Despite his body being a lot stronger than an average human, he still was a non-awakened. The Demon didn''t spare a moment to rest before it again controlled Kyle''s body with Telekinesis and lifted him. Their deformed state of Kyle was punched and sent flying in an arc breaking several buildings in the path. The demon kept on ying with Kyle''s body. Bashing, throwing, crushing, and manipting all, the way. Kyle''s body turned into a broken mess. All the attempts to fight against the Demon were futile. He has severely underestimated a C-rank demon. And now he was paying the price. Kyle had so low on energy that escaping the town using his Teleportation was nothing but a wishful dream now. He was just...lost. "Gruu?" The Gnome looked at Kyle with a tilt of its head. It seems the Demon got bored with the human who no longer was fighting back., The Demon flicked Kyle''s body while holding him by his head, but, Kyle didn''t respond. A frustrated frown marred the Gnome''s animated face before it ced Kyle on one of the rooftops. It seems the Demon was done ying now, and along with Kyle it was about to destroy the whole town. Summoning the biggest Cursed Orb which was the size of a boulder, the Demon aimed at Kyle Kyle feebly stood on his broken legs with his face, and bodypletely drenced in his own blood. The Gnome decided that this was it and finally released the Orb in Kyle''s direction¡ªintending to finish off this town with the attack. However, little did the Demon expect that Kyle would suddenly extend his hands and stop the Orb with sheer will and thest bit of strength he had and the very next instance Kyle, along with the Orb disappeared.... .....only for the Gnome feel something hitting the back of its neck "GUEEEEEEHHHHHHH!!!" The Gnome cried in pain and shock. The Cursed Orb, which was supposed to kill the human and annihte the town had hit the chanter and now, the Orb was absorbing the Demon Energy and creating a gaping hole in its back. The Demon tried using Telekinesis to get rid of it and even rubbed its back foolishly against the building but to no avail. "GHEEEEUUUUHHHEEEEE!!" The Orb kept on absorbing and absorbing...until all of a sudden the Orb disappeared and took away the existence of the Gnome with it. Kyle slowly fell to the ground with a smirk dancing on his lips, as some words passed across his mind, ''...such an anticlimatc end...'' ****** A/N:- Damn, this was the longest chapter I have ever wrote. I didn''t want to make two chapters out of this battle because it would have lessen the intensity. And given how less creative I get while writing action scenes, I wanted to take as few chapters as I can. Well, I hope it didn''t bore you. Thanks for reading. Chapter 39- Something about Kyle~1 Chapter 39- Something about Kyle~1 [Kyle''s POV:] Damn...that was some battle I had. I underestimated the Demon by a wide margin. Since I defeated all its underlings easily, I charged in without thinking it through and paid the price. Forty-eight bones, several ligaments, detached joints, and internal bleeding¡ªI think that''s a hefty price to pay for being ignorant and a little too confident. I was currently lying in the pool of my blood while gazing at the night sky. I didn''t know how I survived this...but now... "Please stay with me! I will take you to the healer!" "Ah..." I suddenly noticed that someone had arrived by my side and was currently supporting my head on herp. It seems my senses have dulled down a lot. Those tears clouding her emerald eyes, signified concern for me¡ªa person she didn''t even know. That''s a heroine for ya. "...d-don''t worry a-about me..." Talking was a burden in my current state as I tried assuring Charlotte. "How can I not?! You...you are dying! And I can''t do anything to save you...I just..." She was shouting at me even though I was like this. How rude. But well it was just like Charlotte. If she can''t discern what to do she just bes agitated. The reason I told her to not worry was because I was feeling a tingly sensation in my belly¡ªsignifying that the Chains of very were being nudged. tia was awake and knew about my condition. "...C-Char...I w-won''t die...j-just take care of y-your family....i-if it''s in o-our destiny...t-then we will mee-agh!" Suddenly, I felt a wrenching pain in my belly before my vision shifted. Now, the concern remains: How am I going to exin my situation to mydy? Sigh. ****** Charlotte looked fanatically around the ce to find where her savior disappeared to He was on herp just a moment and now he vanished. "D-Did he just teleport?" Charlotte knew that the masked man could use teleportation so it wasn''t much of a surprise, but she wanted to talk to him a little more and get him healed as well. She wanted to thank him properly and have him rewarded by the Mayor. She wanted to give him the exclusive gift card of the eatery she runs. She had so many things to say and also wanted to apologize for the rude behavior she showed. She could have never expected that the masked man was actually looking out for Charlotte and wasn''t a suspicious person. He saved not only her but the hundreds of people living in Hazemerg. However, all she did was shout at him, even though he saved her life. She....was nothing but an insane being who could bite the very arms that shielded her from the embrace of death. "*Sniff* ....why did you leave so suddenly...you could have at least let me say thanks..." Crying like a small child after a very long time, Charlotte sat on the cold floor while reprimanding herself for not being decisive. At that time, she was unaware how these strong feelings she now carries for her savior would be the motive of her life, and to meet him again would be her only life goal. A seed was sown. Now the time would tell what kind of fruit it would bear. ******* [Kyle''s POV:] How long has it been since I saw tia crying? I don''t remember. However, it''s not like something one hasn''t seen for a long time, means one wants to dearly witness it. I never wanted to hurt tia nor desired to make her concerned over me again. I promised her that I wouldn''t bet my life on such a gamble which I am unsure about. However, I had to break that promise for the sake of my future. Currently, she sat beside the bed where I was lying and slowly cleaned my body. She has already fed me Phoenix Tear and all my broken bones and internal bleeding have been healed. But since we were currently in an unfamiliar ce and the time was nearing two in the morning, she couldn''t call a healer to cure the rest of the wounds. Overdosing me with potions was not an option as well. That''s why, she stripped me off my clothes with only a towel covering myher region and cleaned the blood off my body. "...I am-" "Don''t say something which you don''t mean." Her voice trembled as she softly washed the wounds I had incurred. With a sigh, I held her hand and looked at her tenderly. Under my silent pursuit, she was left with no option other than to look back at me. "I know you won''t forgive me this easily, but seeing you like this gives me far greater pain than what I was experiencing some moments ago." There was no lie to it and I never intended to. tia matters to me a lot more than anyone in this world does. She has saved my life many times and has given me a reason to live. She not only went against her family members for me but also actively looked out for me whenever I was in danger. I don''t know whether she used her special eyes to see whether I was telling the truth or not, but her shoulders seemingly rxed. "Then why....why do you have to risk your life like this? What gain will all these bring to you? Can''t you even tell me? Am I not trustable, Kyle?" Her eyes...why...just why are you looking at me like that, ? I can''t endure to see that sad and pained look in your eyes. At that moment, I was very much motivated to tell her about my secret...about the fact that I am a Dark magic user and that I have the souls of two legendary warriors in my hold. But...I can''t. Not now. "tia...listen to me. I know-" "No! If you can''t tell me-" My eyes widened as suddenly tia jumped to her feet and took my dagger from the table beside her. She pressed the de against her wrist and threatened, "¡ªif you can''t tell me what''s going on, then I will kill myself! I can no longer endure to see you in pain, Kyle!" "tia, no!" Instinctively I summoned Beta in my left hand and after straightening my back I teleported the dagger away from her hold. "Huh?!" tia, with her eyes, stretched, looked at her hand before she turned her attention toward me, who was holding the straw doll in one and the dagger in the other hand. "K-Kyle...you can..." I sighed. I knew this would happen one day...but still, this was a little too soon. I sat on the edge of the bed, before gesturing her toe toward me. tia responded to my call, and with a still shocked expression, she walked in my direction and only halted when she reached inches away from me. I held her hands in mine and finally decided to reveal my secrets to her. This surely was going to be a long night... ******** A/N:- Development? What would be her reaction? Being a follower of God and all?. If you want to read further chapters, you can search zetro/svneighter Chapter 40- Something about Kyle~2 Chapter 40- Something about Kyle~2 When I decided to confide in tia, by that time, I was already trusting her with my all. My life would depend on her reaction to my secret. If she didn''t like what I was going to tell her, then there was a high chance of me losing the main goal I had aimed for and for the rest of my life, I might have to live as a rogue. But I was prepared for that. Truth be told, if tia reacts negatively toward my secret, I wouldn''t hold a grudge against her. After all, the beliefs she has been following since childhood, the stories and hymns she has heard, don''t allow her to let an evil being reside in the human realm. She is a divine awakened¡ªsomeone who was destined to be one with the heavens once the war is over. And for her to allow a Dark Magic user¨Cwho is the nemesis of light¡ªwould be nothing but sphemous. Regardless, now that we havee to this point I had no other option than telling her. tia sat on the bed beside me with our shoulders touching and hands connected. I decided to start from the beginning, to let her know about the circumstances under which I (or more like the previous Kyle) had to take such extreme steps. "It was around the time when I was dered to be a non-awakened and my family began to go bankrupt because of all the debt they have borrowed from the market¡ªbased on the assumption that once I would awaken, they can have me either marry a rich family or at least sell me to Royal army, to gain hefty sum. From the start, my family was looking at me, as some kind of saleable material." Kyle had a rough past with greedy people present as his parental figures. His siblings were mean and his other rtives were all weird creatures. No surprise, Kyle liked to spend most of his time in the library or with tia¡ªeven though she used to verbally abuse him. "Once it became clear that I wouldn''t be awakening any skill, I found myself falling into despair. Not because...I wasn''t of any help towards my parents, but-" Looking at tia, who was ncing back at me, I spoke with a sad smile, "-but because, I knew, I wouldn''t be able to stay by ''s side anymore." Her grip on my hand turned firmer and I could sense the whirlwind of emotions surging within her. Undoubtedly she wanted to say many things, but she chose to let meplete my story first. I inwardly thanked her or I might not have been able to tell everything. Looking back toward the front, I continued, "Around those times I came across a book which was surely not allowed to be read by anyone from this realm. A book about Dark Arts and the technique to manipte souls." "I knew this was bad and not something I should involve myself in...but my desperation to not be entirely useless left me with no option." With a sigh, I said, "And then, I did something that not a sane person would have ever consideredmitting." Turning toward tia with my eyes turning cold, I added, "I sold my soul to a Devil." tia looked pale and terrified. I expected such a reaction. People generally get manipted by a Demon into turning one, but I, the great Kyle, chose a superior being as my patron and sold my soul in exchange for letting me wield these powers¡ªwhich no human should possess. The ability to trifle with death and toy with souls...it doesn''t even sound human. A long silence ensued between us after that. I didn''t nce at tia...more like I didn''t want to. I feared to see her disgusted reaction or to feel her rejecting my touch. I didn''t want to be rejected by her¡ªthe sole being I care about in this world. What if she abandons me? What if she hates me? To be honest, being disowned was never one of my fears since I have experienced it once in the past as well. What horrified me was the possibility to be abhored by the one, whom I hold dear. "Hey, Kyle..." Like a single pebble thrown in the silentke, her voice broke the silence and made its way toward my ears. I gulped before humming in response. "Can you look at me?" I did as she said, and hesitantly turned my head in her direction....only to widen my eyes when I felt something soft and warm pressing against my lips. ''Eh? Heh? Wha....wha...huh....ahh~'' Shock turned into realization and finally, I settled forfort. There was no doubt about it¡ªtia was kissing me. But why, I had no answer. I closed my eyes under the constant torment of my restless heart and felt my grip on her hand tightening subconsciously. It is a strange feeling to be kissed by tia...or more like a girl this beautiful all of a sudden. My mind was no longer working properly as we finally parted our lips and made eye contact. I would have taken some time to collect my thoughts and then asked her, ''Why did you just do that...'' but tia didn''t let me y dense at all. "I love you, Kyle. Not just as a friend or a family member but as how a woman loves a man." ....that was straightforward. If I say, I never noticed how things developed into this...I would look nothing but a fool like some Japanese anime main character. Against all my wariness, and the precaution I had in mind to avoid this situation, tia ultimately fell for me. Sigh~it''s quite tough to be charming. "Kyle~why do I sense narcissism from you?" My cheek was pinched as tia thinned her lips into a smile. "Quit squeezing them already..." I grumbled. tia chuckled. Seriously, how did mydy grow up to be this mischievous? Regardless, once the silence befell and tia remained looking at me, I knew she was expecting a response. "...why are you looking at me like that? With those eyes of yours, you must have already seen what feelings I have for you." It must be a huge reason why she chose to confess to me now since she must have ''seen'' love in my hue. I...kept on reminding me, why I shouldn''t fall for this girl...but in the end, you can''t resist the charm of an angel. Haan~why I am so weak. "...I want to hear it from you." Alright, so she wants to y it like that, huh? Although I didn''t have many experiences in myst life, it doesn''t mean I waspletely clueless. I knew the first confession in a girl''s life became a memorable event for the rest of their life. That''s why, I told her, "Give me some time...I want to do it properly." tia grinned hearing my response before she leaned her head on my shoulder and muttered under her breath, "I expected that much...but don''t take too long. You know how impatient I can be." "That...I know." Our hands were connected again as we sat side by side in silence. However, unlike before, the serenity we share was far more preferable andforting. I had a hunch that we may end up like this, and despite all my preparations I went ahead and ruined the plot for good. ''Sorry Logan...but this is how it is...'' Sighing I decided to just stop thinking about anything else and focus on the girl beside me. ******** A/N:- Ntring the Mc since 1990. Phaha. Drop ament if you like their development. I mean, their rtionship hasn''t reached its peak, and they might have to face many challenges, but surely, a foundation has beenid. Chapter 41- Returning home Chapter 41- Returning home There were two main reasons why I couldn''t teleport myself back to Belur along with tia. First, I haven''t tried teleporting a person before, and considering the distance, I didn''t want to take a chance as well Secondly, tia wouldn''t allow me to exert myself this much because of my condition. And third, yeah third, if the youngdy suddenly appears in Belur people might start investigating who might be the mysterious teleportation user who not only got close to the Princess but used magic on her as well. Too much hassle. That''s why we were in a carriage¡ªheading back to Belur. Collen didn''t ask me how I arrived here since he knows the application of Chains of very. What he asked me was the reason which forced tia to bring me here. In response to that, I said, ''I went overboard with my training..and haha...'' something along those lines. Collen has never been a bothersome character so he nodded to that and didn''t pry any further. Now, as her butler it was natural for me to share the carriage with mydy...but the closeness I was sharing with the Princess was far from suitable for a servant to have. "No one dares to look inside my carriage without my permission, so stop panicking and sit close to me." With her arm hooked in mine and her head resting on my shoulder, tia muttered in an uncharacteristic tone. "...you do remember we need to keep our rtionship a secret, right? Then why take risks?" tia tilted her head in the other direction and nced at me with her eyes narrowed, "You didn''t ept my proposal so you aren''t my lover right now. As such, why should I take orders from my servant? Hmph!" Saying so, she rested her head back on my shoulder. I see. She wants to y it like this huh? I checked my surroundings with Beta once before detaching my arm from hers, earning a questioning hum from the girl, before I wrapped my arms around her waist¡ªearning a far greater reaction this time. "Ah..." tia yelped as I pulled her closer and turned my head to bring my lips close to her ears. In a whispering tone, I uttered, "Truth to be told, I am feeling the urge tomit the forbidden act between a mistress and a servant. What do you say should I give in?" The tip of her ears had already turned rming red when my breath hit her skin and upon hearing my words, from the top of her head to the base of her neck turned red. Ehe~see, you shouldn''t have teas- "I-if you want...then I am not against it..." "---!!" My whole face turned zing hot, as I let go of her waist and decided to sit across her. This girl....she is too dangerous to be teased. What are those rounded innocent eyes and that submissive look? When did your cold beauty mask vanish? tia giggled at my pitiful self before we both fell silent. However, the silence didn''t persist for long before tia asked, "Kyle, you did reveal your secret about being a Dark Mage, but what were you doing with those powers that caused you so many injuries?" I didn''t think twice before answering, "I was practicing my powers in the forest when a Demon caught my presence and I had to battle against him." "Demon?! Are you sure it was a demon?" Her reaction was justifiable since in her eyes I wasn''t prepared to face an actual Demon yet. "I am sure, after all, I use the same energy with which that creature was demonized. However, since that Demon was not high ranked, I somehow was able to defeat it." Although a C-rank demon is something even tia couldn''t defeat yet, I called it ''low rank'' otherwise tia would have gotten sick in concern. "...why do you have to choose such a brute method of training? I am sure despite having the ability to teleport you chose to fight the Demon to get better at your skills." In a way she is right, after all, if I really had stumbled upon a Demon at a random ce then I would have considered fighting it¡ªunless the said demon wouldn''t have turned out to be above B-rank. "I have no other option but to train my magical abilities in such a way, . I need to hide my identity as well if Ie across someone while training." Collen might be a very skilled warrior, but all I could ask him to teach me wasbat. Even for the next six months before the Academy starts, I need to keep training by going covert. Although tia didn''t show any repulsion toward my secret, I couldn''t just openly use Dark Magic and think that tia would handle everything. I can''t let her get troubled anymore because of me, and despite how fond her father was of tia, until I don''t use my powers for some greater good, he wouldn''t even listen to tia and release an order of my annihtion. tia remained silent for a moment before she asked, "Do you know the Great Sage of Mist Mountains?" I raised my brows before replying like a parrot, "The one who has lived for hundreds of years in the mountain to attain enlightenment and also teaches some specific students for the betterment of the world...I doubt anyone in the continent doesn''t know about her." In addition to that, she is tia''s teacher as well, who attends her ss once a week. "Yeah, her. Do you want to be taught by her?" I widened my eyes in panic, "That is impossible. Not only does she choose only special and talented students but she also strictly follows the path of Light. It would be disastrous to reveal my abilities to her." "Kyle...you are wrong." I stared nkly at tia''s quick rebuke. She sighed before she took the seat beside me and said, "She is not like how the world perceives her. From what I have seen, the Great Sage doesn''t stick to the route of Light and I believe she has knowledge of Dark Arts as well. She prioritizes talent over origin. She doesn''t even care for what purpose her student likes to use those powers and only wants to see the dedication from them." tia held my hand before she said, "Not only because I want you to not endanger your life that''s why I am suggesting this, but also, in the future, we may have to face many challenges where we have to battle side by side. So please, for my sake...can''t you even meet her once?" Guh...again those round pleading eyes. She seems to have realized my weakness and strikes me without hesitation. I remained silent for some time and contemted. The risk was high...but the benefits bnced out things. I was forced to think what a tremendous leap I would gain by this training under one of the renowned mages of history. After taking my time, I turned towards tia, before shaking my head up and down, "I wille with you to meet her...but I won''t reveal my secret to her unless she decides to get into an Unbreakable Contract with me. And also I will never reveal my identity to her." "Deal." tia grinned before she rested her head on my shoulder and adjoined our palms with fingers inteced. I have aplicated feeling about this agreement. Now, only time will tell how this unfolds. ******** A/N:- I won''t go through the training arc, as always, and after two more chapters(?), the academy arc begins. Chapter 42- Accepted Chapter 42- epted "Big Sister...are you sure about this? There are many uncertainties in your n and your destination is very difficult to reach. Are you sure, you would be okay?" Charlotte couldn''t help but smile at her little brother, who was undoubtedly worried for her. Not only he, but her mother also seemed concerned despite how encouraging she sounded previously. Crouching a little, the brown-haired girl, ruffled his hair slightly as she conveyed her thoughts, "Don''t worry about me, Rey. Regardless of hurdles, your big sister is confident to cross them all." Charlotte has recently decided to enroll in the Starfall Academy. The reason for her sudden change in decision arises from the desperation she has been feeling for the past few days. ''Stop trapping yourself in your past and strive for a better future.'' His every word had been etched on her mind and following his words, she was heading to the ce where she hoped to find her future. "Are you sure you will find him there, though? Although that person was strong he didn''t show any sign of being a Divine Awakened." Her little brother, who was only a year apart, asked in a doubtful tone. Just like everyone, Rey also has heard the feat that the masked man achieved before he disappeared. The young boy knew the intention behind his sister''s sudden change of mind. However, if that savior wasn''t a Divine Awakened then there was no point in going to the Starfall Academy¡ªwhich only allows a Light User to enroll. Rey and the olderdy whom they call, ''Mother'', were startled upon seeing that thin smile lifting Charlotte''s lips. It was unusual to see her smiling like this so evilly. What neither of them noticed was the parchment Charlotte held in her hand, which was the sole clue she had to find her savior. Turning her attention to particrly no one, Charlotte uttered in a tone, that sounded passionate rather than confident, "Oh, you don''t have to worry about it. I will surely find him, even if I have to take some extreme steps. " Charlotte didn''t have any life goals until now other than to ensure a good future for her mother and her siblings. However, now, along with that motive, her entire being was encouraged to meet that person to whom Charlotte owes a ''Thanks''. Clutching the parchment in her hand, she muttered under her breath, ''Wherever you are Kyle....I will make sure to find you. '' [A/N: (?¡Ñ?_?¡ò?)] ************ It has been some days since Kyle and tia returned to Belur and were engaged in their everyday work as usual. Kyle was exempted from his daily duties since he still was recovering. Maria was extremely concerned about his sudden disappearance but thankfully Collen had sent a mail beforehand which allowed her to take a breath of relief. However, once her eyesid on the bandaged Kyle, injured and broken, she was once again reminded, of how reckless Kyle could be. Like a mother, she scolded him for a good hour, and tia supported Maria for her actions. Kyle needed to learn some self-restraint. It has been some days since he was verbally punished by Maria. Currently, he was lying on his bed with his eyes wide open¡ªeven though it was five in the morning. Kyle has developed the habit of waking early in the morning without setting an rm(an hourss artifact that sounds like a gong once the sand is transferred entirely.) Today he was going to meet the Great Sage and possibly get rejected by her. He would be concealing his identity from her, but his mysterious impression wouldn''t urge her to take him under her wing. The Great Sage admires talent and respects hard work. Although Kyle can handle thetter part, he doesn''t possess such incredible talent to be taught by one of the living legends. Moreover, he is a Curse Magic user. ''...it would be so beneficial if she epts me tho...'' In six months, the Academy begins. If Kyle could get some training from the Sage then he would be able to ensure a better future for himself and tia. Now that tia and Kyle were together(almost) Kyle wasn''t letting those situations ur which would bring Logan and tia close. To substitute Logan from those incidents, Kyle needs to build his strength. If there was anything positive about his resolve, then it was the fact that he had unlocked his Third Socket. The medium through which he channels magic in his body and charges up the straw dolls. Before his battle against the Gnome, Kyle has a feeling that he is reaching his limit. After facing those demonic creatures finally, the frost over the Third Socket melted and he awakened for the third time. Now Kyle''s magical abilities would increase dramatically and he would be able to utilize high-ranking magic more frequently without worrying about exhaustion. As such getting trained by a professional seemed more desirable now. However, Kyle didn''t raise his expectations and just hoped that the Sage wouldn''t kick him out... ******* After breakfast, tia and Kyle boarded the carriage which was heading toward the training center where the Sage teaches very few students. "You are unusually nervous today, Kyle." tia couldn''t help smiling at her butler, who was fidgeting at his ce like a child who was about to see his report card. "I just...don''t want to make you feel ashamed." tia raised her brows, "You can never make me feel ashamed, Kyle. I am very much proud of you. " Kyle''s movement halted and his face took the shade of a setting sun. At times like these, thest thing he wants to hear is...those kinds of words from tia. Those kind of words that make his heart restless. "...seriously, tia, aren''t you being a little too aggressive these days?" tia, who was honestly unaware of what she said to gain such a reaction, adorably tilted her head to the left. ''Well, he looks better now...'' tia smiled at that. She was content with anything until she could keep up that smile on him. It didn''t take long, mostly because they had many topics to converse about before the duo reached their destination. A small part of the town is surrounded by tall walls that cannot be climbed until the ambusher isn''t well-experienced in their job. And even if they seed in climbing up, the long poisonous spikes awaiting at the crown might prove to be fatal. This separate section was created on special orders from the central ministry in Belurst year after the Great Sage agreed to teach tia. The two got off the carriage and stood side by side. Kyle has already worn a wooden mask to hide his face for obvious reasons. The entrance of the Sage grounds only opens from the inside. tia was about to call out and inform about her arrival when suddenly therge steel gate suddenly pushed open and revealed the figure of an elderly-looking woman with her eyes widened apart. tia was naturally startled and so was Kyle upon witnessing the woman all of a sudden. However, their surprise didn''t stop the old woman from approaching Kyle and raising her hand toward him. "Master. " tia ced herself between them and shielded Kyle behind her. The old woman frowned and stated, "If I wanted to harm him, I wouldn''t have shown myself in the first ce." tia didn''t waver from her stance and responded, "I am aware, master, but I can''t take a chance to let you touch him until you have a reason." Kyle panicked behind her. He believed that tia was being a little too cautious but as someone who knows the Sage closely, tia was being sensible¡ªwell, from her perspective she was. The olddy''s frown deepened as she kept her gaze steady on tia. In response, tia also retained her gaze without showing any signs of backing off. Amidst the wordless battle of the two, the older one yielded first, "Alright fine. I won''t touch your man. But once he enters the ce don''t expect the same mercy from me again." The olddy turned around and began walking inside¡ªmuch to tia''s surprise as she nced towards Kyle and soon asked the Sage. "Master...that means you ept him as your student?" There was no response from thedy but that was enough for an answer. tia held Kyle''s hand and looked up at him with her eyes turned crescent, "Let''s go, Kyle. You are the thirtieth student of the Great Sage. " Kyle, who hasn''t spoken a word after getting off the carr iage, only could let himself get dragged by hisdy. ''... seriously, what kind of twisted situation has this turned into?'' Chapter 43- Stick Chapter 43- Stick Inside a spacious room which definitely had space to amodate more than a hundred people, sat a young man on his throne. The golden locks of the man were arranged messily and some wavy strands were allowed to cover the left side of his forehead. His physique was well suited as a warrior and his demeanor oozed with confidence with a tinge of arrogance. Currently, his stone-cold blue eyes stared at his employee. Considering his rxed posture, anyone would have a hard time considering the charismatic blond noble''s current thoughts. "Are you certain of your words? Mistakes cannot be forgiven in this case, you must know that." Hearing the blond noble''s words, the man who was kneeling on the ground, sweated bullets under his hood. The hooded man has recently reported his investigation regarding the situation that happened back in Belur. And the person he reported it to, is one of the most prominent figures of the Capital¡ªfirst prince Edward Triwin Valenchide. The shrouded man took a single second to hesitate and soon replied with the same intensity as before, "There is no doubt in it, Your Highness. The butler assigned to serve Your Highness Princess tia has been acting suspiciously for the past few weeks. And recently when he was informed about the Blood Ritual to wield the legendary armor, he showed a veryplicated and anxious reaction." Taking a pause, he continued, "Soon, when I investigated, I found out that Kyle was reading something rted to the history of blood transfusion¡ªthose that urred in the past. And the most concerning part, the only records he particrly read from head to toe were those failed ones between a Curse User and a Divine Awakened." The spy finished conveying his report in detail and turned silent. Edward didn''t show any reaction and just rested his head on his balled fist further down, with his elbow pressed against the armrest of the throne. Edward trusted his younger brother, Edmund. However, this was something rted to the person Edward could not take risks with. This was about tia and the person with whom she would spend most of her time¡ªwithout any Capital surveince on them. Naturally, Edward has to be one hundred percent sure about Kyle''s motive and inspect him thoroughly. That''s why this spy was sent although Edmund was already in Belur at that time with the same purpose in mind. And now, hearing the report, Edward believed he did the right thing by sending his own investigator. ''If Kyle is a Curse magic-user...then not even Tia can save him...'' Refocusing on the shrouded man, Edward said, "My youngest doesn''t know about this right?" The spy shuddered hearing the prince mentioning his youngest brother. "N-No, my lord." Edward sighed in relief. If that maniac gets to know that someone suspicious is lingering around their beloved sister, then the youngest prince undoubtedly would attack Kyle regardless of tia''s feelings. As of now, there was no solid evidence against Kyle and given tia''s affection towards him¡ªto the point she even hurt Edmund¡ªEdward has to take slow and steady steps. The Emperor is also out of the Capital for an all-round journey around the continent and it would take months for him to return. That''s why, Edward decided to keep an eye on Kyle for the time being. Every step Edward takes in his life is for the betterment of people and to ensure the serenity between his family members. That''s why he felt troubled with the prospectus of pushing tia to a ce where she had to choose between Kyle and her family. ''...I just hope all my concerns are unwarranted Kyle.'' With his eyes faintly glowing, Edward crumbled the parchment he was holding. ******** [Kyle''s POV:] I was being scrutinized by the Sage''s students since for her to ept a disciple so suddenly was unheard of. Every student she takes in must have to go through some trials to prove their passion for learning¡ªregardless of who the person is and how talented they are. The trainingpound was nearly the same size as the training ground back in the mansion. However, the training equipment was surely a lot better and diverse. "You, go and start with your warm-up spells." Someone who can call the Princess of the Empire in such a casual, almost rude manner¡ªthe rumors about the Sage being indifferent to one''s social position weren''t just rumors after all. "Can''t I stay a little longer with you two?" tia sounded concerned, and I could feel how she was barely resisting the urge to hold my hand. You gotta be a little careful, . In response, the elderly woman halted and red at tia over her shoulder, "Don''t make me repeat myself or this day won''t end well for you." Under normal circumstances, anyone would have be nervous under such a fierce re but not tia. She red back at her teacher and with a huff whipped her hair toward her back. Giving my hand a squeeze, she walked away. Now, only I and the Sage remained in the backside of thepound and I could feel the other students were no longer eyeing us. Despite her old age, her back was stillpletely straight, and her eyes could see through minor details like a hawk. As a fighter, I could tell that she had no opening to exploit at all. In a confrontation, without the assistance of Magic, I doubt I would be able to defeat her¡ªeven though I have only heard of her legendary tales. "Do you know the reason why you are standing here?" Her question couldn''t be answered since I was genuinely perplexed, "I don''t know." "Because you intrigued me." I tilted my head before asking, "What part of me?" "Why don''t you tell me, what makes you different from my other students?" Oh...so she wants me to tell her about my secret. Well, if she had sensed Dark Magic from me and is against the usage of Curse Energy, then she surely would have apprehended me. But that doesn''t mean I need disclose my secret. "Maybe because I am wearing a mask?" "Wearing a mask makes you look childish, not different." Her response was quick, like she was expecting me to say something like this. I shrugged, "Then...I don''t know." The Sage sighed, before she lifted the thin stick she was holding and ced the middle part of it, on her palm. Whipping her free hand, she suddenly summoned two things. A feather and an elongated and thick tooth. She ced the feather on the left side and the tooth on the right side. The stick didn''t move at all¡ªsignifying a serene bnce. "This is a feather of an angel and that is a tooth of a demon." Without her telling me, I discerned much. Remaining silent, I heard her asking, "Now which one is you?" Her thin smirk made me a little confused but I couldn''t discern why she was asking me this. There was no doubt she has sensed the Dark energy permeating from my soul that''s why I had no issue pointing my finger toward the tooth. "Wrong." Her response made me bewildered. What was she even implying here? Under my perplexed gaze, she held her stick in her clutch and the feather and the tooth disappeared Advancing toward me, the olddy stuck her hand which was holding the stick, in my direction. "You are this." "..." I am a stick now? I am, indeed thin, but still, aren''t you thinner than me master? For the first time since we met, the olddy smiled and ruffled my hair fondly, "Within the next six months, I will make you understand what I meant." Saying so, she walked away. I stared at the stick I was holding as a thought passed by my mind, ''...why do I feel, I missed to realise something extremely important just now...?'' ******* A/N:- Hmm ..so yeah, maybe I will take a chapter to summarise the training and then we dive into the Academy arc Drop ament. Chapter 44- Advice Chapter 44- Advice It has been some months since Kyle began training under the Great Sage without revealing his identity. The Sage never asked nor did Kyle ever seem keen on sharing who he is. The training regime of Kyle was a lot different from the other ones. He wasn''t even trained in the presence of other students, except for tia. When Kyle arrives, everyone else departs. The preferential treatment was allowed either because the Sage favors him or she suspects that someone would inform the security about the fact that the Sage is teaching a Dark magic user. Regardless, Kyle never asked since given the grumpy personality of the Sage, he only opened his mouth to raise reasonable questions. His training mostly involved him training most of the basic me spells and getting better at them with time. Kyle knew the mechanism of the spells, but he wasted too much energy even in a one-circle spell. Sage took several weeks to determine his shorings, noted his mistakes, and then started to train him. tia was happy to see that Kyle was improving in his strength and oveing his weakness. She couldn''t remember how many times he thanked her for this opportunity. And just like that, four months passed. ****** [tia''s POV:] "You need to be careful, Kyle. You can''t be too confident in your skills just because you have mastered it." Warning Kyle has be one of my habits these days. I knew he was reckless, but training alongside him made me realize how much I underestimated him. He can go to some abrupt lengths to aplish a goal he sets. Just like now, when he was casting a dragon made entirely of mes with the use of a single circle spell. He went overboard with it and in an attempt to extinguish the mes, he ended up burning his hands. "Knowing I would be nursed by such a beautiful healer, I sometimes intentionally get hurt." ....well, although that made me happy, I still pinched his wrist. "Ou! That stings..." "Oh really?" I raised my brows and thinned my lips in a smile. So something can hurt him, huh? A brief silence ensued between us, before I asked him something casually, "Kyle...don''t you feel the silence from the Capital, a little eerie?" Hearing my words, he didn''t show any sign of being concerned. As I expected, he must have already thought about it. "...Indeed, it''s a little odd that your brothers are still quiet even though they must have been informed about your confrontation with Prince Edmund. However, I think I know the reason behind it." "Father''s tour around the continent?" I asked curiously. "It seems so. The report of what happened must have reached the eldest prince since your youngest brother majorly remains confined in his room right?" "Yes. Ellis doesn''t like to go out much." Ellis is just a year older than me and in a way, we are simr when ites to our likes and dislikes. Although I am not that extreme, I also don''t like meeting people and going out regrly. "Hmm...that means Prince Edward has decided to keep it hidden. But he wouldn''t let us off the hook until Your Majesty returns." That made me slightly anxious as I asked, "You mean...he is spying on us?" Kyle shook his head, "I check my surroundings every now and then; especially when we are together. However, I found nothing." I heaved a sigh, but it was short-lived. I suddenly remembered something which I had forgotten to warn him about, "Kyle, Starfall Academy will conduct a test of the servants just after the entrance ceremony. Whatever happens, please don''t use your magic in those events." Kyle wryly smiled as he informed me, "I know, . I am not an idiot to announce being a Dark Mage in front of those many eyes. My life as your attendant at the Academy would end before it could even begin." I nodded slowly to that. I know Kyle can be a battle junkie at times, but he wasn''t an egoist who would try to surpass the other examinee just because he has the strength. I was wrong to suspect him. I shouldn''t have gotten worried about this in the first ce. "tia." Hearing the Master''s voice I turned to look at the entrance of the house where she lives. We were sitting at the far end of the training ground and she was standing under the light so I wasn''t able to see what expression she had. However, I had a feeling that she was quite serious right now. She didn''t say anything and walked back inside the house. "She wants to talk to you. Go." Kyle urged me; already quite familiar with master''s behavior. I couldn''t help sighing as I took out a potion and gave it to Kyle. Kyle made a bewildered face before asking what I expected, "You said you don''t have any more potions left?" I shed him a smile that I don''t show to anyone else and confessed, "I just wanted to spend some time with you." The expression he had, upon hearing my words was priceless. I love him. ******* [Third Person POV:] "You called me, Master?" As tia entered the house where only the Sage resides, she asked in a low tone¡ªnot wanting to disturb the serenity of the ce. The outer room was huge and unlike most houses, this room was not devoted to reception. There was no sofas or even a chair. Every single spot of this ce was allowed to nts and herbs. Some were hanging from the ceiling and some were sprouting from the ground. It was a miniature garden in tia''s perception. The owner of the ce remained standing at her ce¡ªnear one of the herbal nts that tia failed to recognize. "You know this nt?" "No, I don''t." tia had no shame in announcing that she wasn''t omniscient. The older one exined, "This is called Paircubs." tia was tempted to take another look at the nt now that the focus on conversation was directed at it. The said nt was a small bonsai-like tree with two finger-thick hard stems protruding from the base and intertwined in a tight embrace. The small tree continued to grow up to one meter where a single flower rested. The flower wasn''t anything peculiar. Just a pretty red and ck flower with seven thick petals. It didn''t have any particr scent...or maybe tia wasn''t able to sense it? "I failed to recognize its importance, Master." tia couldn''t understand what was so unique about this nt that she was invited in here¡ªa ce where very few students are allowed to enter. The older one remained silent before she pointed toward the flower in a tired manner, "Do you know, that flower cannot be plucked like other flowers. It takes a lot of strength to pluck them." tia raised her brows. Was her master asking tia to show her prowess on these petals? tia doubted, that''s why she still could be seen rooted at her spot. The Sage turned to look at tia with a peculiar look in her eyes, as she asked, "But there is a far easier method to destroy the flower....do you know how?" tia shook her head. The older one wordlessly turned her attention back to the nt before she held the intertwined branches separately with the fingers of both hands and very gently plucked them apart. Under tia''s surprised gaze, once the branches separated, the full-bloomed flower shredded all its petals and turned lifeless in an instant. tia slowly came to a realisation which brought a frown on her face. However, to be certain, she needed to ask, "Master...what are you implying by all this?" The older one slowly walked around the cluster of nts in the middle of the room, and without looking at the other person, she began, "The Paircubs flower defines you and yourpanion. Together, you cannot be defeated but once you drift apart, you both won''t survive." Taking a pause, she corrected herself, "Well, he won''t for sure." tia''s eyes have turned solemn¡ªan expression which she adapts to hide her real emotions. tia didn''t say anything as she saw the older one halting in front of her with her eyes drawn toward tia. There was no hostility that tia could find in those eyes. The Sage purely seemed indifferent However, her following words changed tia''s perception, "Listen tia, there woulde a time when the world would be against yourpanion. Both sides might merge to oppose him. He would be all alone...all cornered. At that time, you have to be with him. Understood?" tia exhaled a breath, which she was holding for who knows how long. Softly she nodded, even though tia had a lot to ask. In response, the Sage smiled at her student and patted her head softly. "I wish the best for you two." ******** A/N:- Hmm~ I hope that exins some of the things. The first volume concludes here. I hope you guys liked the story so far and continue to read it in the future as well. Okay then, see ya next time~ Chapter 45- Confession Chapter 45- Confession "Can''t believe almost a year has passed since you came here, mydy." Maria felt a little emotional during the dinner. Tomorrow, tia will be departing for the Academy along with Kyle for the entrance ceremony, and just like every other student she also has to stay in the student''s dorms. "It''s not like I won''te back," tia assured the maid, who was more than just a servant to her. In the mansion, except for Kyle, tia could only show her true self to some extent to Maria and they often chat like friends as well¡ªwhich exins the older one''s current outburst. "That''s right, Maria. Mydy would return to Belur once a week or maybe two." Kyle assured the older one with a warm smile on his face. The reason why tia''s father arranged a mansion near the Academy was because, once in a while when tia might want to take a break from the Academy, she wouldn''t need to travel all the way to the Capital all the time. And thanks to Kyle''s teleportation ability they can return to Belur in an instant. "I understand. Sorry for being a nuisance." tia shook her head at that, which signified that she didn''t mind. The dinner went peacefully after that. Only tia was seated on the table and given how light she prefers to eat at night, it didn''t take long before she was done. "Shall I prepare the bath, mydy?" Maria asked the Princess. However, before tia could have consented, Kyle interjected, "Umm...please dy the bath for some time, Maria. I need to talk to mydy for a moment." tia raised her brows at that as she turned to look at him. For some reason, Kyle was stealing his gaze away from her¡ªbringing a suggestive smile to her face. Maria gazed alternatively between the two before she smiled ear to ear and responded, "Of course. Take your time." ******** The night was quite young, and the serene breeze of spring gently swayed across the training ground where the two teenagers slowly walked. The full moon hung in the sky like an ornament and the twinkling stars enhanced the beauty of the night. tia and Kyle walked side by side, and despite it being some minutes they got alone, not a single word traveled between them. tia knew what this could be about and truth be told, she was feeling several butterflies going chaotic in her belly. However, despite her excitement and impatience, she didn''t urge him to speak and silently strolled around with him. On the other hand, Kyle looked pretty nervous about what he had to say. He didn''t have much of an experience when it came to things like this...however, he had already made her wait for too long. Nine months have passed since tia confessed her feelings to him. And on this day, after nine months, Kyle summed up the courage to reply to her confession. "...I think you already know why I have called you here." tia remained silent and unresponsive. Kyle took her response to be a ''yes'' as he continued, "You know me better than anyone. My past and origin are not hidden from you. You are aware of what I was and what I have be. Despite that, you never stopped caring about me. I am very thankful for that." Kyle hastened his steps and little and turned to face her¡ªhalting her movement. tia was slightly startled as she saw a bouquet of white lilies appearing in his hand out of nowhere. Coming down from her surprise she looked into Kyle''s eyes and found only determination filled up in them. Kyle gathered the courage of all his lifetime before he nted his left knee off the ground and got into a proposing pose. tia''s heart skipped a beat seeing him like this, but she still chose to remain silent. She didn''t know what she might say that might end up ruining the mood. And now, she doesn''t want Kyle to stop at all. Kyle held her hand with his free one, and while looking into her eyes, he ryed those words that arrived directly from his heart, "I know I am not the perfect man to hold your hand tia...but since I love you so much, I won''t let anyone else other than me, hold your hand either." tia giggled hearing his words, before she felt something sliding in her finger. Looking down, her eyes sparkled upon finding a silvery ring resting on her finger. There was no gem on it nor any particr design to make it look eye-catching yet the fact that it was given by Kyle made it more valuable than any other ornament in the world. "I will get you a better one, once we enter the academy." "No...it''s quite fine. Rather, I don''t want any recement of it." Hugging her hand to her chest she shook her head and shooed off any suggestion of taking off that ring. Kyle felt his heart warming up at how valuable she deemed the ring. With a smile, he got up and slowly hugged her waist. Drawing the girl closer, Kyle whispered in a sweet tone, "I never thought that we would end up like this one day." tia''s cheeks adapted a pinkish glow, as she asked in the same manner, "Do you not like how things are?" "No, I don''t. It would have been more perfect if you had these flowers holding while wearing a white gown and we take some oaths in the presence of many people." tia tilted her head to the left teasingly and asked him, "Are you asking me to marry you?" Kyle went silent for a moment...not expecting that she would get on it so suddenly. In a slight panic, his words began to jerk, "I-I...don''t...I mean it''s not I want to h-hurry things and...." "Pfft-just stop talking now Kyle and kiss me." Looking at that beautiful smile returning on her face, Kyle''s heart melted. Complying to his mistress'' demand Kyle leaned forward and stole tia''s lips for the second time. He has long decided to change the plot for his own good. And now, holding this girl in his arms, Kyle couldn''t have been any more sure that this world couldn''t follow the same route that it originally was supposed to. ****** A/N:- A short chapter to wrap up his confession and proceed to Academy Arc. I hope you all like the story so far Chapter 46- To the entrance ceremony~1 Chapter 46- To the entrance ceremony~1 Starfall Academy enrolls those candidates who have awakened their Divinity. There are several other academies in the continent, devoted to magic andbat but mostly every divine awakened joins the Starfall Academy to hone their skills to the supetive and learn under the best instructors. Three years it takes for a student to reach the pinnacle of their potential and serve the continent and humankind. Mostly every divine awakened serves the nation as the High Order¡ªa unit devoted to the exceptional soldiers who are also the first line of defense of the Empire. And some divine awakened join the League¡ªthose hunters who purge the demons by actively raiding the other side. The future of a divine awakened is secured since once they graduate from the Academy, the central ministry itself offers high-paid jobs and even living as a student in the Starfall Academy gets them various benefits. A student just needs to devote these three years to learning and sharpening their skills to pave a bright path to the future. ******* [Kyle''s POV:] We reached the Starfall Academy by carriagest night. And today was the weing ceremony. tia was granted a cottage which was separated from the school building. The dorm section has several cottages like the one which was given to tia. Unlike what I was used to seeing in my previous life, students here are given quite the luxury. The main school building of the school was in the center of the ind. The dorms were located behind the school building and each year''s dorm was located at a separate location. Apart from the main school building which wasmon for all three years, there was an indoor gymnasium and a teacher''s block where the library was also situated. Last night I stayed in the attached cabin to the main dorm quarter which was provided in every cottage. Since mostly every student brings a servant, or attendant with them, it is necessary to keep them near their master. In the morning, I changed into the ssic butler uniform, consisting of a white shirt, ck waistcoat, ck formal trousers, and a ck coat. I was told by tia to wait outside in the morning since she had a surprise for me. Iplied with her decision and silently waited for her nearly at seven in the morning. There were some butlers walking toward the main building¡ªseemingly to grab some necessities for their masters. Who knows. I have packed everything that tia needs in her everyday life that''s why she never called me to get her something. In this academy, the need for servants is just as much as there is for books and other study materials. After all, after training all day and exhausting all resources, when a student returns to their dorm room, thest thing they would like is to cook food or prepare warm water for a bath. There is an option to acquire a servant after joining the Academy. More so, people apply for that job since serving a divine awakenedes with various perks. That''s why, to ensure that a servant isn''t enjoying the benefits without having any experience in the service, all the servants are required to take an exam. Regardless of whenever they join and who they are serving, every servant has to go through this process. I know what tests there would be, after all amongst the many servants there is a heroine hidden as well. The one I used to like in myst life, the most. "Kyle?" Hearing tia''s voice, I was plucked out of my daze as I hurriedly turned to look at her. However, my voice never left my throat as my gaze fell on her. Although I was aware of the dress code that the Academy follows, looking at tia in it stole my breath away. A white in shirt with ck buttons was partly hidden under the white zer she wore over her shoulders. The golden lining along the border made her attire look like it was made only for her. The ck it skirt that reached just an inch above her knees went perfectly with her upper wear. Her hair is tied in a ponytail unlike usual when she ties them in a bun. Her cheeks were flushed with a healthy crimson shade and a beautiful smile, that could steal anyone''s heart, lifted the edges of her lush lips. In the uniform, she gave a strange youthful vibe and in all honesty, this version of tia was quite dangerous for my heart. I slowly moved toward her while trying to look as casual as I could and halted only when my whisper could reach her. "....quite lucky you are that we aren''t inside a room but in the open." tia raised her brows at that before asking in the same tone, "And what if we had been inside a room?" I couldn''t help but let my lips form into a smirk, "You will know once we return after the ceremony." tia ''hmm-ed'' a bit with her arms crossed on her chest before her eyes widened slightly. Focusing back at me, she thinned her lips in a smirk before whispering in a tone that sent a chill down my spine, "If you rank in the top three today, then tonight I will give you a reward~" ....alright, so beast mode today. Got it. With my fist balled up, I ushered tia, "Let''s go, mydy. I have an exam to ace." tia giggled by my side before we departed for the entrance ceremony. ******** [Third Person''s POV:] There were numerous students gathering around the main building of the Academy where the orientation would be held. People from different regions and backgrounds have arrived at this ce to make a name for themselves. However, something that made themmon, was the fact that they turned at least once, to look at the blond beauty. tia was like a full-bloomed beautiful rose in the garden of many dull flowers. Without doing anything peculiar she gathered attention just through her presence. Her elegant gait extruded the mannerisms of a nobledy. Although many were tempted to introduce themselves to the beauty, her sharp and indifferent eyes kept everyone three feet away. Kyle was walking just a few steps on her left nk while holding her bag. He was actively using Beta to keep an eye on their surroundings for any unwanted activity directed at tia. Just as they reached the za in front of the main building, tia''s feet gradually came to a halt just like many others. Several students and their servants have made a circle around two people who were causing amotion. Partially tia could see that a maid was currently sprawled on the ground and was weeping in pain. And the other one was a student with pink hair and an angered expression on his face. tia looked at the girl with her ''eyes'' and only found pain and fear in her hue. Although there were many people around no one intending to stop them, seemingly because the pink head was a noble of high ranking. Although tia wasn''t a righteous person, she couldn''t just ignore a person with such a sorrowful hue. "tia..." However, before she could have moved, Kyle held her hand. tia turned to look at him with a frown on her face, "But Kyle...." Kyle shook his head before he gestured with his eyes toward the crowd again. tia, with a perplexed look, turned back to look at the crowd¡ªand soon she found who he was gesturing at. Just like tia, Kyle also had his eyes on that certain raven-haired youth who was making his way to save the day. The prota gonist of the story has appeared. ********* A/N:- Uhmmmm....well, this might get a little messy. Drop ament. Chapter 47- To the entrance ceremony~2 Chapter 47- To the entrance ceremony~2 The crowd witnessed the pink-haired noble tormenting the little maid just before the entrance ceremony. Given that the said pinkett is the son of a Count, doesn''t allow anyone to intervene. In the first ce, any master has all the right to behave with their servant in any manner they deem right. Now, under such circumstances who would want to invite an unnecessary grudge from such a politically strong person? No, there was one. "You filthy slut deserves nothing more than to rot in the same pit where your parents died! You can''t even keep up with your master just because that useless mouth of yours hasn''t consumed food sincest night?" Rowell Markton has always been such a kind of grumpy personality who expects the best from those around him and especially those whom he owns. And this maid was not even on par with those standards which a servant should be. Disdainfully, he raised his leg and stomped on her stomach. "Aghhh! Master!!" She yelled and wailed but it was necessary for this object to understand what mistake she had partaken in. ''I want to be the first one to be present there and upy a seat in the front row. I can''t let this opportunity slip!'' Rowell gritted his teeth. In this opening ceremony, he has the chance to sit just in front of the podium and give a good impression to the teachers and the first-year representative by being entirely attentive. And because of this bitch! "Shit! Just die!" Raising his foot again he aimed for the maid''s face¡ªonly to find something crashing against his stomach and the teenager was blown away with it. "Ghugh!!" Rowell gagged in pain as he clutched his belly after stabilizing his feet. If not for his timely use of the Strengthening spell then he might have crashed into one of the students. ''Who...?!" Looking towards the maid, he found a certain raven haired helping the girl. Rowell didn''t have to think twice before he strengthened his arm andunched toward the male. He couldn''t discern his ranking and background and given the ''savior'' has ck hair, it was given that his lineage descends frommoners. Four steps it took and Rowell was inches away from the young ck head''s face. Rowell''s fist currently had the strength to break a pir. As one could discern, he was not going to hold back with his strike. In response, the ck-haired boy calmly parried the punch with a quick palm strike and saw the pink head falling forward because of the shift of momentum. Logan narrowed his gaze at the panicked visage of the noble before he held him by his lower jaw and tightened his hold until Rowell''s bone started creaking. "You freak! Let go of me! You dare-" **CREAK** Rowell''s eyes widened as he felt the bones of his jaw trembling¡ªon the verge of cracking. He used his skill to reinforce his jaw but to no avail. It felt like as Rowell increased the force of reinforcement, the strength behind themoner''s hold elevated as well. ''Shit! This isn''t the grand entrance I wanted!'' Rowell was about to summon his Angelic voice andmand themoner to let go. But before he could have, someone arrived on the scene. "What''s happening here?!" The students who had crowded around the za began to scramble since undoubtedly this voice belonged to an instructor. Rowell growled at themoner, "I will make sure you realize whom you have daredy your hands." Rowell swatted the offender''s hand away and before the instructor could arrive, he told his maid to follow him and slinkly left the za. Logan sighed watching the scene as he also decided to leave. Although he couldn''t watch a pitiful soul getting tortured by a prick, Logan didn''t have the desire to leave a bad impression on the teachers on the first day. ''Great...I wanted to avoid attention....'' Looking at how people were looking at him as he made his way toward the main building, Logan couldn''t help sighing. He was aware thating from amoner background, he needed to keep a low profile to not offend some young masters here. However, the unjust he just saw was too cruel to ignore. ''Hmm?'' Reaching the main building he saw someone standing near the bulletin board. The blond beauty made him dazed for a moment and without even realizing Logan found his steps advancing toward the only girl who was approached by no other students. And he knew the reason. Logan forcibly broke his daze and stood beside the girl silently. She looked unbothered by his presence and read the motivational phrases written on the board. Logan, by all means, wanted to stay shut and mind his business but remembering something from before, he couldn''t retain his oath for long, "Despite being a Princess, you didn''t step up to help that maid. I suppose your servant must be very cautious to stop you from helping someone in need." Logan, and his big mouth. He has been warned by many people in the past that he shouldn''t approach those people or try to get on their nerves who can easily ruin Logan without much hassle. However, he couldn''t ignore the fact that despite having the authority to stop that pink-headed bastard, the Princess didn''t take any step just because that silver-headed butler stopped her. Logan had been on standby until he didn''t realize that even Your Highness was going to pretend that none of thatmotion concerned her. tia didn''t bother looking at the boy and responded in a tone that suggested how least affected she was by Logan''s words, "Inside the Academy, every student has a simr standing. A princess or not, it wasn''t my ce to interfere between a master and their servant." "But as a human being? Are you that cruel to allow someone to hurt an innocent without even trying to stop it?" Logan was kind of frustrated hearing her excuse and thought that now, his statement would rile her up. However, all he could see in the eyes of the Princess was indifference. ....she clearly was not influenced by his raised tone and such an aggressive statement. tia nced fleetingly in his direction before sharing a piece of her mind, "Whatever I am, is none of your concern. If your noble soul is hurt then grab a corner and weep." With those words, tia turned on her heels and walked away¡ªleaving a bewildered Logan behind. He remained lost for some moments before a smile lifted the edges of his lips. ''That girl....'' Logan couldn''t help shaking his head. This was the first time he has seen such a noble who didn''t get offended by his statement and tried attacking him. She is the first one who didn''t even care what he had to say... actually the first one. ''Interesting...I wonder whether she can still care less about me once we meet in the duel arena...'' With a grin, Logan watched tia''s retreating back before he decided to stroll around a little to pass the time. ******** Unlike the students, the servants were not allowed to attend the opening ceremony, and all of them were told to report to the teacher''s block by eight. Kyle, naturally, had to oblige despite how much he wanted to witness tia on stage¡ªgiving the speech as the freshman representative. Just like him all the other servants have gathered around in the main assembly of the building and lined up without being provided any instructions. ''...the protagonist is finally here eh...'' Kyle couldn''t help sighing under his breath as he remembered the raven-haired energetic youth who went straight ahead and made a very good impression of him amongst many students and some teachers. However, naturally, he made himself quite an annoying enemy as well. For more than five reasons, Kyle was bothered with Logan, however the necessity of the protagonist far surpasses those problems. ''I just need to alter those events which involve tia and Logan...'' With those thoughts, he focused on the teacher who appeared in front of the servants and stated some words of direction, "Everyone, follow me to the teacher''s resting lounge. Your first test would begin there." The race to be ranked as the best servant starts now. ************ A/N:- I won''t be making the actual MC an arrogant prick. But surely conflicts are destined to ur. Drop ament. Chapter 48- First test Chapter 48- First test "Wee to Starfall Academy''s entrance exam. Each one of you has joined the Academy to serve your dedicated master and mistress. Although you all must be trained and qualified in your jobs, given you were allowed to take on this role, the administrative board still requires you to provide proof of your servitude. The reason is quite simple. Starfall Academy couldn''tpromise when ites to the health and personal care of its students. And being the servants of the students, you all shall possess the skill to assure us, that our students are in the right hand." The teacher who was responsible for conducting the first test stated in a voice that reached the first twenty students who were told to line up inside the examination room. Kyle was one of the twenty candidates who would get examined based on his awareness of his duties as a butler. This test would ascertain, which servant needs more training and which one is fine being left alone. Unless a servant doesn''t fall under thirty marks out of a hundred, the administrative board would not expel them. And in exchange, they would offer another servant to the students. Well, Kyle was here to score to his full potential. He initially thought that to hold back but now that a reward was at stake he couldn''t allow himself to ck off. Out of the hundred servants, only twenty were allowed to enter the room first so the judgment wouldn''t get rushed. The chances of Kyle being in the same group as the heroine named Elera were low, but not impossible. As such, he wasn''t surprised when he found a tall silver-haired girl standing just a little to his left. She was more on the thinner side with long limbs. Her short tinum hair was tied in a short ponytail to not hinder the girl in work. Her blue eyes remained focused toward the front as the handsome beauty showed no signs of being disturbed by the many gazes she was receiving. One of them was Kyle as well. He likes her character because just like tia she is also a cold-faced beauty who has a solo motive in the game and that is to protect her best friend and help her in every way possible. However, what made Kyle infatuated with her was the fact, that once you get over the walls she has created around her, she bes all shy and adorable. ''A ssic tsundere...'' He inwardly muttered. What Kyle felt toward her was interest but not on the level where he would actively pursue her. He doesn''t have the tendency to cheat on his lover just because he admires another girl. Finding that no one raised any questions, the bespectacled instructor continued, "For the first test, you all have to prepare a dish, keeping your master''s taste and allergies in consideration." A smirk lifted the left side of the instructor''s lips as she added, "But remember, there are various ingredients that are poisoned in the kitchen. Use your experience to sniff them out and prepare a healthy and non-poisonous dish. And yes, using Magic is not allowed." Thest part of her instruction made many of them, frown and one of them even raised his hand to object, "But Instructor, why we are forbidden from using our greatest resource?" The older one calmly responded, "Various times you would be serving your master during a covert mission where you might need to remain hidden from the Monsters. And if you use Magic, which the Monsters can easily sense while performing such a mundane job as cooking...I think that would be a very petty reason to die." Defeaning silence ensued. No one raised another objection after that. As she said, servants are meant to be like shadows of their masters, and in the future when they would be sent to the expedition, being careless about using magic might lead them to their demise. The bespectacled woman pressed the bridge of her sses and warned, "The magic detector in the rooms would alert us if someone breaches the rule and that student would be disqualified from this round immediately. Am I clear?" ""Yes, ma''am."" Everyone responded without another thought. They came here with the preparation to serve their master under any circumstances, andpared to the real threat awaiting them, this much was nothing. "Good, now line up behind your kitchen stations and get ready." Everyone beelined toward their assigned kitchen station. The ingredients were all resting onmon shelves which were just opposite the entrance of this massive hall. The kitchen stations were ced side by side just a few feet apart from the walls. Enough working space and seemingly varieties of ingredients to choose from. There were three more instructors in the room to monitor the work. The lead instructor flipped the hourss, and announced, "You have half an hour. Begin!" Everyone made their way toward the shelves and began picking what they deemed non-poisonous and necessary for the dish they must have already decided on. Kyle picked a basket and began throwing stuff in it that was necessary to make steak. The reason why he could be so confident about his choices stems from the fact that he currently is using Beta. Astral Vision allows Kyle to assess an object at the molecr level. Thanks to the regr training, he was easily able to see the foreign substance in the ingredients without any problem. However, to avoid appearing as a cheater and risking usations of being partially treated by the instructor due to his service to the Princess, Kyle paused during the collection and pretended to assess the ingredients. If there was someone who matched his pace then it was the silver head girl named Elera who had quite a bit of experience in the field. She is the daughter of a famous eatery owner and from the age of six, she has invested a lot of her time in the kitchen. Elera had a different way of assessing whether an item was contaminated or not. She bites a very small chunk of it and tastes it before throwing it away if it''s poisonous. Just at the same time, Kyle and Elera were done with their ingredients and they moved towards their stations without batting an eye at each other. Kyle immediately took the red meat and ced it on a te. Pouring some oil over it, he seasoned the meat with some ck pepper and crushed some salt over it. He has the herbs required to cook the steak which was a huge plus point. He chopped some onions and sliced a big garlic from the middle before heating a pan. In a separate bowl, he began to put some mushrooms which he washed and trimmed ording to how hisdy likes. As the pan began to give out some smoke, Kyle dropped the steak inside which gave out a very sizzling noise. "Hmm...that''s some quality sound I hear." From afar the instructorplimented¡ªelevating the stress of those who still were browsing. Many of them just resigned to their fate and picked whatever they deemed right. Soon the kitchen stations began to get upied but none of it distracted Kyle and Elera. Kyle marinated the mushrooms with chopped garlic, oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper before cing them on an iron skillet and pouring the remaining marination over the mushrooms. Taking the skillet he moved toward the live fire oven with steady steps and ced it inside just as near where it could get roasted without getting burned. Back at the station, he cooked the meat from all four sides before taking it out and cing it on a separate te. Adding some more oil to the pan, Kyle dropped the onion and garlic along with the herbs. Once they turned light golden he poured some wine which he picked when he went to put the mushrooms in the oven. The vorful fragrance of the steak bits along with herbs and wine overpowered any other fragrance in the kitchen. For a moment, even Elera had to take her eyes off the preparation and look at the guy who had been giving her thepetitive vibe since earlier. ''...I wasn''t mistaken. He indeed is apetitor to be wary of...'' Elera was here to win and make the name of her friend even more profound. And she couldn''t settle for second ce for anything. "Umm...excuse me. Can I take your salt just for a bit? There wasn''t any left in the pantry." Elera wordlessly handed the girl who came asking, her salt dispenser and continued working. Time passed rather quickly. Nearly ten minutes remained, and only two students could be seen nearing thepletion of their dishes. Kyle had ced the roasted mushroom on the same te as the steak, in a round formation to make it look presentable. Although he hadn''t checked the steak, he knew that it was perfectly cooked. Once he was done, he took a nce at Elera with his eyes still in the Astral zone. ''Hmm?'' Kyle frowned upon seeing some purplish shade in her dish which signifies that she had taken an ingredient that was poisoned. Since their stations were just beside each other, he focused on the things ced on her working tform and found the reason behind her potential failure. Just as Elera was about to pick spaghetti bolognese, Kyle held her by her wrist, nearly making her drop the dish. "What the hell?" Elera frowned and red at Kyle. He soon let go of her wrist and gave a faint suggestion, "I think you have made it a little too ''salty''. I suggest you give it a test yourself first?" Saying so, Kyle walked out while holding his dish and left a bewildered Elera behind. ********** A/N:-... halfway, I realized that this looks everything like master chef.... well..... Drop ament. Chapter 49- Second test Chapter 49- Second test ra has be quite ustomed to her job and has been fulfilling the requirements to be an ideal teacher. Amongst those necessities, the need to maintain a calm andposed front was also included. However, since an hour or so ago, she couldn''t help but let her mask fall off when she sensed ''him'' here in the Academy. Her motive to join the Starfall Academy was to expand her reach and get to know more people, which wouldn''t have been possible if she had decided to stay in the vige. ra hoped that her initiative would lead her to her savior. However, not in her wildest dreams she anticipated that just at the entrance ceremony she would feel his presence again. The potions she makes resonate in her presence and the pouch she packed those vials in, was an artifact''s half-twin. That''s why she couldn''t be mistaken about the fact that her masked savior was here. "Next is, the first-year representative''s speech." Hearing the announcement, ra moved her gaze to the stage where the beautiful blond young girl appeared. Many of the students gasped and began to murmur to themselves about how beautiful and angel-like tia looked. ra met this girl when she came to the Academy for the entrance ceremony. And for some reason,pared to that time, she looked more vibrant and confident. ''I wonder if she is the type for whom ''he'' might fall...'' ra couldn''t help but think about what his type might be. An old woman like her with a peculiar shade of hair surely wouldn''t be his first choice. Right? "On this auspicious day, I would like to..." The speech began and ra forcibly stopped her train of thought. Although she wanted to search for him right now she needs to be patient with her approach. Her savior is the shy type and might run away from an overbearingdy like her. ''Nice and slow I have to move...'' Forming a n for how she would reach out to him, ra spent the rest duration of the speech in a daze. ****** The next test of the servants involved some movement of the body¡ªbut not as inbat. "We are going to test your skills at waltz. Given that you might need to apany your master and sometimes other nobles might want to share a dance with you, to maintain grace and not embarrass someone of higher rank, we must conduct this test." This time it was a man in histe thirties or so, standing on the podium and directing the students. Kyle along with the other neen students got up on their feet. They were given some time to rest before they were called to the next test site. "Now, pair up with a partner and get in positions." Kyle was about to ask the brown-haired timid-looking girl on his left when suddenly someone came right in front of him and asked, "Would you mind sharing a dance with me?" Much to his shock, it was the cool beauty Elera who took the initiative to approach him. Kyle was not rude enough to reject her just because she was a heroine. Not to talk about, rejecting her would cost him points. Sliding his left foot back a little he tilted his body a little forward and offered his hand in her direction, "If you are okay with me." Elera was momentarily stunned by his gracious approach before, in a daze, she gave him, her hand. Just like them, others also got into position. Since there was a female majority in the room, there were some pairs of both being girls. But that''s a trivial thing to even get concerned for. Lightly holding her thin waist with his right hand and his left one holding her right hand, Kyle moved with the music and Elera followed his lead quite perfectly. Although she learned to dance two months ago, and there were times when she made some mistakes, with Kyle she felt she couldn''t take any misstep. He is great at leading¡ªElera inwardlymented. The ssic music resonated gently across the hall as the ten pairs swayed on the tune in perfect sync. A minute or so had passed when Elera finally revealed the reason why she approached him for the dance, "Thank you for the help back then. If not for you, then I might have ended up failing the test." Twirling the girl on her feet, and pulling her close again, he replied, "What did you prepare to pass? I mean, everyone passed whether they chose the right ingredient or not, but what about you? Are you in the clear?" Since Elera had a smiling voice, despite how much she tried to hide it, Kyle discerned that she served a non-poisonous food to the instructor¡ªmaking a spot in in the top rankers. Elera gave him an answer after cing her hand back on his shoulder, "I made some instant fried chicken and added the leftover spaghetti which wasn''t salted. I think the instructor quite liked it." "Hmm~quite the efficient type." Just for a moment, Kyle thought he saw Elera smiling but she went back to her indifferent self in an instant. "How did you know that the salt is poisonous?" Elera asked curiously since Kyle never tasted it yet he could tell. And the fact he informed her near the end means he precisely knew that the salt wasn''t unhealthy since the beginning. "Hmm~I would keep that secret to myself for now. After all, we don''t even know each other''s name." Elera paused, just for a moment, before continuing. She is not good at dealing with people and taking up clues was not something she could feel confident about. However, right now she knew he was asking for an introduction. She remained silent after that and the other party also didn''t insist. Their dance continued for another five minutes before the music finally came to a halt. Kyle was about to let go of her hand and bow to thank her. But he wasn''t able to take his hand away. Directing a questioning gaze at Elera, he heard the girl saying, "I am Elera. Remember the name since I would be beating you in this test." Kyle grinned at that, before he replied, "Then...I would suggest you wait for my name. After all, soon you will see it on the top of the result board." Saying so, Kyle stepped back and after giving a bow, he walked away from a smirking Elera. The students gathered around once again in front of the instructor who addressed them, "Excellent performance, young ones. Your form, your grace, and your personality, everything was showcased through this ten-minute waltz. Although some were more focused on their partner rather than the dance itself, " When he said that, the oldest one in the hall nced at Elera, before continuing, "...but that doesn''t matter. Unless you don''t step on your partner''s feet because of your fascination, then it''s all good." Elera felt embarrassed and slightly bewildered being targeted with such charges. Did she look fascinated by her partner? Regardless, the older one continued without paying heed to Elera''s growing dilemma, "Next is your final test. You have shown your skills as a caretaker and a partner. And now you need to show how good you are as a bodyguard." While fixing his sses, the instructor concluded, "Next is yourbat test." ******** A/N:- Bro is fishing harem membe r faster than an average harem protag. The Frost Princess ain''t gonna like this... Drop ament. Chapter 50- Second test~2 Chapter 50- Second test~2 After the representative''s speech, the students were told to wait in the auditorium for further instructions. The opening ceremony was more of a formal event, and the true source of excitement for the students was the wee party that was managed by the student council. Although the lectures of the Principal and some instructors were beyond boring, thepensation arrived in the face of the first-year representative who stole various hearts with her strong words yet retained aposed front. After the formal speeches were concluded, tia sat in a corner while doing nothing in particr. It was then, that a certain duo approached her, which made tia frown. However, upon looking at their faces closely she recognized them, and her body straightened up simultaneously. "Good morning, President." Offering a greeting with a slight bow of her head, tia regarded the Student Council President¡ªNorrline Isabe. Like a fieryva, her radiant crimson hair flowed down her shoulder and reached her waist. Her figure leaned toward petite but the two bountiful mounds could easily betray her overall figure. But none of it made her look ugly, rather elevated her charm. She had a pair of peculiar blue eyes that seemed to assess the people she faced but that smile which Isabe wore, eased up the stress that her eyes created. "I heard your speech and your ideologies regarding the discrimination that people face, even in the Academy. And I respect you for that." The Presidentplimented tia without adding any untrue words. Although Starfall Academy doesn''t promote one''s background, the fact the Princess of this Empire raises such high charges against noble kids and the society itself showcases that the future of this Empire might be heading toward something better. "As the President said, every word you said was truly inspirational." The girlish boy standing diagonally behind the President was her secretary. He has dark green hair and almond-shaped green eyes. His skin was almost transparent, and he gave a vibe of that boy who might cry upon being shouted at. Naturally, tia didn''t say that aloud and thanked the two upperssmen. "Anyway, tia. If you ever feel like joining the Council as a disciplinarian or a reporter then please feel free to swing by the office, okay?" "I understand, President." tia gave another bow before she thought that the older ones might leave. However, the red-haired girl leaned forward and with her left eye closed, she asked tia, "By the way, do you want to see thebat assessment of this year''s servants? I hear they are pretty exciting." The Secretary looked troubled as he said, "President...that is not something you should use your authority for." Isabe huffed with her fists attached to her waist, as she replied, "Misusing power? You take me too lightly, Secretary. I am just trying to get some inspiration here." ncing at tia''s brightened visage, Isabe added, "And I am sure, my junior shares the sentiment." tia readily nodded with a smile trying to fight its way to her lips. ********* Kyle along with the other neen candidates was pulled toward the inner gymnasium which was situated in another building altogether. Thebat test would be a duel between two candidates and this time, whoever wins would get a straight thirty points out of a hundred. The servants were pumped up for this round since it could help them get over the embarrassment of potentially failing the first one. Everyone lined up near Arena One while wearing the same clothes as before. Naturally, in real-life situations, servants or anyone else doesn''t get time to change their outfits and wear something more battle-orientated. Elera hasn''t approached Kyle, fortunately. She has been standing silently at a different side while Kyle remained in another. Although he would be doing something to garner attention from many people, Kyle doesn''t want to actively pursue heroines that might be his death g in the future. There were four instructors this time. Two of them were proctors and two of them were judges. The proctors stood in attention, while one of the judges¡ªthe one with a military cut and a scar nted downward his eye, called out for the participants, "You would be given a pouch that would contain a certain fluid. Your true goal is to protect that pad and not let the liquid spill out. If you win at the cost of losing the pouch, then it would be considered a loss¡ªafter all, in livebat, your true goal should be more focused on protecting your master, and defeating your enemy shoulde second." "If you defeat your enemy after shing their pouch while keeping your pouch intact, you get thirty points. If you lose with your pouch intact, then you get fifteen. And the same goes for those who win but at the cost of losing their pseudo master." "Any questions?" The stern voice of the man came to a halt as he nced across the participants and didn''t find anyone raising their hands. Gesturing toward the other instructor, the first one again spoke up, "Come forward and draw a number. And also collect your pouch." The second instructor who was a shortdy with a petite build, carried a box in her left hand and a hanging bag in the right. The first student went forward with steady strides and retrieved a small card from the box and a ck bulging pouch which has straps connected to it, which would allow the participants to carry it without allowing it to hinder their movements. The butler walked back to his position before another one walked forward. Finally, it was Kyle''s turn as he drew the lottery and got a ''6'' written on the card. Taking a pouch along with him, he walked away Once everyone was done, Kyle nced around and caught a glimpse of Elera''s number. ''....thankfully, I ain''t that unlucky....'' Elera was holding the card with the number ''1'' on it which means she won''t be dueling with Kyle. Once every student drew their numbers, the male instructor called out, "Those who got number one,e forward." A girl and a boy immediately stepped toward the arena with a determined look on their faces. Well, Kyle imagined that Elera had a determined look. The arena was around ten meters in diameter with a red ring surrounding the yellow middle space. The proctor stood in the middle of the arena and the two participants faced each other. ''Neither of them took any weapon...hmm...'' Although Kyle knew these servants were more magic-oriented, he didn''t think they won''t even take a small wooden sword as assurance. Might be just bonafide mages. Who knows. "Using any life-threatening spell or an attack that can leave permanent damage to your opponent, is prohibited. If rules are breached, you will be immediately disqualified and be scored zero for this test. Any questions?" Neither of them said anything. The proctor stepped back before raising his left hand. ncing at the two, he shed his hand downward, and announced, "Begin!" Elera mmed her palms in front of her chest, and while utilizing the wind element, she created a violent sh of air that traveled toward her opponent. The said opponent was a boy with raven hair and yellow eyes, who immediately ducked under the attack but because of his haste, misjudged the range of the attack "Ugh!" The white shirt of the boy was ripped and his back was scrapped because of that aerial sh. Elera took advantage of his mary shock and shifted on her left foot with her right leg curled in a roundhouse kick. Just as the boy lifted his upper body to use his spell, a foot smashed on his face and the boy heard his jaw breaking with that blow. ''....strong." Kyle couldn''t helpplimenting her physical strength, which threw the boy a few meters away. Elera indifferently strolled towards the fallen boy and swung her left hand to tear the pouch that her opponent had attached to his chest Once the red thick liquid spilled out, Elera picked the boy in her arms in a bridal carry and threw him out of the ring, mercilessly. Everyone fell deeply silent seeing such a barbaric way of fighting from such a beautiful girl. You cannot judge a book by its cover¡ªElera was the prime example of that phrase. The proctor wasn''t inexperienced enough to remain shocked for more than a few blinks before he announced, "Helios cannot continue to fight. Elera wins." Kyle, just like others was impressed seeing the cold beauty with blood tainting her exquisite face. She was just like a war goddess who was returning from the battlefield. Kyle was marveling at the sight when suddenly he felt a piercing gaze on him. ''Hmm...ah!'' His eyes suddenly widened upon seeing a trio in the stands looking at them. However, what caught Kyle''s attention was that pair of violet eyes that were staring at nothing but him. And that smile she wore...it sent a shiver down his spine. ''...she ain''t gonna let this slide....'' ****** A/N:- Uhm...she can watch one''s emotions, if you may have forgotten. Chapter 51- Third test Chapter 51- Third test tia has been trying to improve herself every single day, with two motives. The second reason was to make a name for herself, independent of her title as the Princess. The primary reason for her self-improvement was to maintain that respect in Kyle''s eyes which she could see ever since she saved him from those two worms. The greenish hue tells her how Kyle admires her and the blend of pink shade also deres his romantic feelings for her. tia wanted him to keep those emotions exclusive to her and her alone. She couldn''tpromise it for anything or anyone. She wants his love all for herself and his respect should be directed at her alone. She is his lover and this much was eptable. There is no debate about it. She deserves his undivided love and attention, and tia was well adamant about keeping things like that. Then....why does it seem his admiration just now was directed toward a girl who isn''t tia? She couldn''t be wrong, right? Her eyes were working fine, right? Kyle...indeed like that girl it seems. That silver head had an air of superiority and the way she finished her match under one minute, she must be strong as well. ...so what was it? Her looks or strength? What did Kyle like in her? tia could do better than her. She could be better than her. No, no, no, don''t look at her like that Kyle. Don''t. Just STOP! "Are you okay?" "Hnn?" Her stupor was broken as suddenly someone called from her left. tia now realized that not only the two who came with her, but everyone in the gymnasium was looking at her¡ªand her surroundings which had turnedpletely white. Frost clung to the President and her secretary, and half of the arena was already coated with ice. The air had turned so chilly that every exhaled breath produced visible steam. Kyle was about to advance toward the stands but it seemed the instructor stopped him and she herself proceeded toward tia. "Student Council President, can I know the reason for this sudden outburst?" The female instructor asked the person who was responsible for bringing tia to the ce which was forbidden by students to enter while the examination was going on. Isabe shed a confident smile and spoke, "I brought the freshman representative to learn from the variety of trainedbatants and also give her a rundown of the duties that she might be performing as a Disciplinarian." The instructor narrowed her eyes, "But I don''t find any reason for the representative to obstruct the match." "I apologize for the disturbance. Please continue." tia gave a bow and also, turned all the ice into particles¡ªstartling the instructor. The instructor lost the motive to continue, seeing the Princess bowing as she warned her before leaving, "Please don''t y any pranks anymore." tia didn''t say anything and lifted her head. Her eyes turned toward Kyle, who was also looking back at her with a troubled expression. ''...so you know that you have done something wrong...'' As her friend, lover, and mistress, tia had various things that she would like to discuss with him in private. But for now, tia decided to remain silent and witness his performance. ******** [Kyle''s POV:] Uhhhh....okay. tia is mad and I am one hundred percent sure why she is so upset. It''s just I never thought she woulde to watch the match that''s why I wasn''t paying attention to my surroundings. ''....but this is a serious problem....'' I was just admiring Elera and tia lost control over her emotions. However, it''s not like I won''t admire Elera or anyone else in the future. It''s quite natural...and if tia continued to have such a temperament... ''I need to talk to her and sort things out.'' I knew our rtionship wouldn''t be all sunshine and rainbows. We need to talk things out to prevent misunderstandings from further growing. ''...I hope she doesn''t turn out to be like that specific pink-haired girl...'' Remembering a certain anime character I shivered all over. The assessment continued with another pair of servants now standing inside the arena. I wondered if tia would leave now since the person who brought her here must have been warned by the Instructor. However, seeing those starry eyes of the heroine named Isabe, I knew she wouldn''t leave any time soon. The Student Council President is one of the strongest being currently in the Academy and also, someone who would y an important role in the uing arc. The Second Arc¡ªBeing favored. It''s a very basic arc without much life-threatening trouble for the protagonist. And since tia wouldn''t have to be involved in this arc, I was pretty muchid back. The teacher who has been smitten by ra would not like her being attentive towards a certain student and as such, he would start to create trouble for him. In one of those sses, Logan would be lured into a battle against that said antagonist, and naturally, as an overly powered hero, Logan woulde out as the victor. However, since the teacher''s reputation would be on the line he would me Logan for harassing the teacher without any reason and all. That''s when Isabe would enter the scene and make a very good impression on Logan. ''Well, I hope I don''t need to get involved in this...as far as I could remain from Logan, it would be better.'' Soon all the remaining five battles concluded and my turn came out. "Number 7,e forth." I along with another guy walked towards the arena. I picked a wooden bo staff that was resting on the weapon rack before nearing the center. I was the first person to use a weapon that''s why everyone seemed to murmuring about me. Even my opponent smirked at me and said, "I heard you are non-awakened. Well, I am the worst match for you." Just as he said, I indeed wasn''t well suited to face him. If my mind is serving me right then this guy with dirty blond hair and pink irises has a barrier skill. And as a closebat expert such as me, this guy was a nightmare. ....or what he must be thinking. "Contestants ready?" The proctor asked as we both stood with two meters between us. As we nodded, he announced, "BEGIN!" His hand shed downward, signaling the start of the battle. I immediately leaped back, startling my opponent. His eyes widened, and he instinctively chanted his barrier spell, a shimmering force field snapping into ce in front of him. In that split second, I hurled my bo staff into the air. The crowd''s murmuring faded as my focus sharpened. My opponent, eyes darting between me and the rising staff, tightened his stance. Seizing the moment, Iunched myself into the air. My heart pounded in my chest, the thrill ofbat electrifying my veins. I caught the bo staff mid-flight, twisting in the air to harness my momentum. "HAH!" With a fierce shout, I hurled the staff straight at the spot that I deemed the weakest through Beta. He must be too nervous to move away or pretty confident in his skill. **BOOOOOOOM** The staff connected with the barrier and a loud explosion urred. Upon realizing that the barrier had broken, I seized the opportunity and afternding, darted in his direction. "Ah!" The boy wasn''t too fast and I never got the chance to use Beta again. With my left hand holding his neck, I used my free hand to squeeze the pouch. *Ptuu* "I-I give up!!" He shouted with his face turning red just as my clothes which was coated in the contents of the pouch. I let go of the guy, resulting in his fall. "Contestant Kyle wins!" The proctor announced before I nced in tia''s direction. She was barely concealing a smile as she watched me with her hands folded on her chest. So the tsundere mode is on, huh? Since I had most probably scored perfect in each assessment, now I was waiting for the reward she had promised. And in the excitement, Ipletely missed noticing a certain guy, who was also looking at the match with keen interest until now. ******* A/N:- Kept the battle scene brief. I hope it was understandable. Thanks for reading. Chapter 52- Curious Chapter 52- Curious [Logan''s POV:] ...that person doesn''t have magic? I couldn''t help but wonder upon witnessing the performance of a certain guy named Kyle. My hearing is good so I heard when the referee called. I have seen several warriors in the past who don''t possess any magical skills but are a veteran fighter. They are some bunch who can survive a horde of monsters with a loaf of bread and a kitchen knife. However, the difference between them and this guy named Kyle is the experience. All those guys I havee across were majorly in theirte forties. But looking at the silver head in the arena, I could tell he was someone around my age. ''In purebat, I don''t think I could have dodged that attack ...'' My body was still heated up by that enthralling performance shown by Kyle. His nning and execution. The advantage he took from his opponent''s inexperience, and the strength he showed by shattering a well-formed barrier...I was inches apart from approaching him and asking for a spar. Although I wasn''t a battle junkie, despite how much my oldrades called me so, I had a very strong urge to test my physical limits against Kyle. ''I hope we can fight one day....'' With a grin, I decided to leave since considering the next contestants, I knew I wouldn''t get to see another exciting battle. ******** ''Oh damn....'' After leaving the gymnasium I was pretty much lost. It seems every student was directed toward their ssrooms since the auditorium was empty as well. ''This ce is so big ...'' I wandered aimlessly into the main building since I had no clue where to go. This was only the second time I had entered this building and naturally couldn''t locate the ssrooms. ''Should I use Detection?'' The choice seemed efficient but there was a problem. Magic Detectors are located in each corner of the school and if I use aura here, I might get punished. "Are you lost, student?" Amidst my conflicted thoughts, someone called out to me. I turned to look at thedy....and found myself falling into a daze. Beautiful violet hair was braided and allowed to fall down her shoulders. Her almond-shaped violet eyes gave off a very innocent vibe¡ªurging me to just trust her without even knowing her name. Without even realizing I was nodding foolishly. "Fufu~that''s what you get for strolling around and not listening to the teachers." Her melodious giggle helped me get out of my daze. This Academy....is full of beauties. First that princess, then the President, and now... "I''m your instructor for potions. My name is ra." She introduced herself which made me realise my mistake. "I am Logan. Sorry for staring at you rudely." I bowed my head and apologized before adding, "It''s just...Professor ra had such pretty eyes I couldn''t help...." No, no, no! What am I even saying?! This is not something you should say to your teacher! "You are quite the honest type." Hearing her giggle made me realize that I didn''t offend her. "Now, please follow me. I will guide you to the ss." I, with my face red in embarrassment, nodded and thanked the teacher. Seriously, I need to do something with myself. ********** [Kyle''s POV:] If I am not wrong then ra and Logan must have met and interacted already by now. tia left the gymnasium after my match followed by the President and her secretary. The rest of the matches were not as swift as they went for me and Elera. Some shouting, some shounen moments, and some tears before all the ten rounds concluded. "Now, until the assessment continues, you can go back and rest in your designated quarters." The instructor told us and we silently agreed. Those who were injured were taken to the infirmary including my opponent as well. I was nning to go back and cook lunch for myself. tia wouldn''t get to leave until the evening so I will make her something good once she returns. Just as I was about to step out, a familiar voice called out, "Thanks." I raised my brows before asking the silverhead, "What for?" "The one who changed the ingredient...you punished him." Oh...so the one who tried to bring her down was that barrier master? "I didn''t know and naturally didn''t beat him for that cause," I confessed. "Doesn''t matter. All I care about is the fact that you destroyed him brutally." ....you shouldugh a little after making such a statement. I wryly chuckled and said, "Well, nothing to mention then." I was nning to walk away from her and get back to the living quarter, when suddenly, Elera scoffed, "So it''s true. That princess is quite possessive toward you." My feet momentarily paused as I nced at her. "You can tell?" "Of course. After all, that emotional outburst was not something I had seen for the first time. And given you were quite fascinated by me back then, I deducted much." "Fascinated? Quite highly you regard yourself." I smirked at her, but truth be told nothing which she said was untrue. Elera shrugged and began to walk away. I also didn''t say anything since more than this, I don''t want to increase my familiarity with her. ***** [Third Person POV:] "Excuse me, Professor Ceaser." The dark green-haired professor who was standing on the podium and introducing himself to the ss; halted. Turning towards the entrance the normally stern Professor, smiled. The source of his smile was ra who had arrived with a guy beside her. ....that momentarily faltered Ceaser''s smile but he didn''t let it be obvious. "Professor ra? How can I help you?" The bespectacled Professor advanced toward ra and asked in a way softer tone than before. The students were eyeing ra carefully, not only because she was beautiful but also because she was favored by the infamous serpent-tongued Professor named Ceaser. "This student had lost his way to the ss. If possible, can you not punish him?" ra asked politely while gesturing toward Logan. Ceaser nced at Logan for once before he smilingly responded, "You don''t need to request rather just ask Professor ra." Turning his focus toward Logan, Ceaser spoke in a sharp tone, "Go and take the empty seat beside someone." Logan raised his brows but didn''tment on the clear partial behavior of the guy. As he walked inside, Logan found all the seats in the front were upied except for the center frontmost. There was only one person sitting on it, and considering her identity, it was no surprise she was sitting alone. Logan decided to sit beside tia, even though they had a soft argument before. "Hey." Logan greeted casually, only to get ignored by tia. Suddenly he remembered something and asked tia in a hurried manner, "Hey, Kyle is your butler, right? Can I fight with him?" This....indeed got a reaction from her. And that reaction made Logan feel frightened. With her eyes frostier than an iceberg, she nced at him, and spoke in an indifferent tone, "If you wish to graduate from this Academy, stay away from him." Logan raised his brows. Earlier in the gymnasium, sh e had such an outburst because of her butler, and now this.... Now Logan wants to fight Kyle even more! ****** A/N:- Well.... Chapter 53- Reward Chapter 53- Reward "Oh, hey. You are Logan right?" After thest ss concluded someone called out to him, and Logan turned to the source of the voice. It was a pink-haired girl standing there with a bright smile on her face. Her hair was tied in twin tails¡ªproviding a young and refreshing vibe to the girl. "Yeah?" Logan, a bit confused, answered. "I have seen your practical assessment. You were great. To think that someone of my age could push the test subjects to third degree...really amazing." The girl sped her hand in front of her chest like she was praying as she hurriedly voiced those words. Logan was a bit taken aback by all the praises as he said, "Well there was someone who pushed it to the fourth degree as well." In embarrassment, Logan reminded the girl that he wasn''t the best one present in the first year. The pink head blinked in surprise before her body jolted, "Ah! You must be talking about Your Highness, Princess tia!" The girl looked behind Logan before tilting her head, "But where did she go?" Logan also blinked in surprise before turning towards his back¡ªand indeed, the seat beside him was empty. ''She was here just now....'' Logan was sure that he never sensed her movements¡ªwhich meant she had left in a hurry. "Ah!" Suddenly Logan eximed as he realised what could have been the reason for tia''s rush. "Ehhh?" Seeing Logan jumping over the desk and rushing toward the entrance, the pinkhead cried in surprise. "See ya!" Logan dashed out of the ss and made his way toward the bulletin board situated at the front of the academic building. If he remembers correctly then the results of the Servant assessment would have been posted by now. Once he reached there he found tia also had just arrived¡ªgiven she couldn''t run in the lobby, unlike Logan. There were mainly the servants who were gathered around to see their results. Some of their masters were also apanying them. Logan looked around and found the girl with silver hair who fought in the first round was also looking at the board with a frown on her face. "Elera~" Someone walked past Logan and called out for the silver-haired maiden. It was the pinkhead who called out for Logan back in the ss. Logan looked around a little more but didn''t find Kyle anywhere. ''It can''t be that he already saw?'' Given the results were posted just a minute ago, since the teacher who clipped the results was still in Logan''s vision, then it means Kyle hasn''t evene to see the results. And once Logan''s eyesnded on the name of the top-ranked candidate, he knew why Kyle never appeared, ''He is one confident bastard eh....'' ******** tia didn''t linger near the bulletin board for long and made her way back to the living quarters. She knew Kyle would end up at the first rank but still witnessing his name there made her feel quite proud and ted. Like a parent, she wanted to pat his head now. Fortunately, no one interrupted her before she walked inside the small cabin given for Kyle to stay. Inside, the vorful smell of curry was wafting. tia paused for a moment before she headed towards the kitchen¡ªwhich was thergest part of the house. There Kyle stood with two buttons of his shirt undone and the outline of his chiseled chest in exposure. His sleeves were folded to reveal his thick forearms and the way he had messily kept his tinum hair made her fall into a daze. ''....why can''t he stop looking so handsome?'' tia couldn''t help but feel herself falling into an endless stupor. The only thing she desired at the moment was to stare at the hot man in front of her. "That''s quite embarrassing, you know. Being stared and all..." His voice shook her out of her reverie before tia realized how udylike she had acted just now. She made her way toward the kitchen once she corrected her expression. "*Ahem* You should dress more moderately if you are ufortable to be stared at." Despite her embarrassment, she wanted him. Although she was guilty, it doesn''t mean this won''t happen again if he shows his delicious side in the future. Kyle checked himself out and found nothing out of the ordinary except for his messy hair. He shrugged and continued to cook. tia took a blueberry from the basket before taking a small bird bite of it. Leaning on the kitchen station, she said, "I have heard that girls like those boys who can cook and defend their partner. Are you trying to court someone by showing off those skills?" Kyle chuckled and took the half-bitten blueberry from her, "What do you think? Do you feel impressed?" He finished the berry in one go, before continuing to cook. "Wooing your mistress...hmm~that''s not something a servant should ever think of." Kyle yed along, "But I dare to pursue mydy....say, what should be my punishment?" tia advanced toward him and Kyle also turned to look at hisdy who was quite in a yful mood. tia held his cor before pulling the guy towards herself. Their lips were inches apart and their eyes remained locked on each other. The breath of fresh mint washed over her face and his manly scent elevated her temperature. For some reason, his whole being seemed quite tempting to her. "My berry was stolen." She whispered. Kyle nodded and out of nowhere, he had a blueberry in the hold of his index finger and thumb. As he ced it near her lips, tia whispered, "Only half was stolen." Kyle smirked before cing the berry between his lips and allowing hisdy to savor the other half. tia''s lips devoured the other half, and their lips brushed slightly against each other. Kyle looked at those alluring violet eyes of the girl he was reluctant to love but failed miserably. The tension in the atmosphere increased as they stood motionlessly for some seconds before Kyle lost his patience and gave in to the temptation. "Mm~fufu~" She giggled slightly as Kyle advanced forward and attacked her lips. She embraced his neck and stood on her toes. Kyle encircled his hand around her waist and supported his girl. The world outside ceased to exist; there was only the two of them, lost in each other. tia''s hands traveled up to Kyle''s hair, tangling in the soft strands, pulling him even closer as if she could never get enough. Kyle broke the kiss for a fraction of a second, his breath mingling with hers as he whispered her name, a husky plea that sent shivers down her spine. "Nghh~" tia''s response was a soft moan, her lips seeking his again with a renewed fervor. They kissed with a fierce intensity, a desperate passion that seemed to burn brighter with each passing second. Finally, after three whole minutes, Kyle let go of his greed and parted his lips from tia''s. Their breathing was ragged and intense. The color of her lips has turned faintly red¡ªa testament to the passion they carry for each other. Kyle supported hisdy in his arms since he could feel she had lost all her strength in her lower body. They stood under the warm light of the kitchen for a good minute before tia whispered, "....that was your punishment...and reward. Congrattions." Kyle surely wanted more, but considering their current stance, he held back and whispered, "Thanks. " This surely was a great motivation for him to keep doing good. ********* A/N:- Umm...somehow it felt l ike I was writing an 18+ scene. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. (Should I put a warning next time?) Drop ament. Chapter 54- Possesive Kyle Chapter 54- Possesive Kyle ''I can sense him....'' Around eight on the clock, a certain violet-haired woman in her early twenties could be seen walking around the students'' dorm with a peculiar pocket watch-like device in her hand. She is the Professor of Potions who is given charge of first and second-year students. The youngest Professor without any prior teaching experience to be ever recruited by the Starfall Academy¡ªra. However, her position as the Professor while she is so young was frowned upon. The minimal experience as a tutor aside, the young men wouldn''t be able to focus on their studies if their teacher was so young and charming¡ªsome board members said. However, in the end, their concern was dismissed as a trivial matter inparison to the benefits which ra could bring; not only as a Professor but as a researcher, as well. However, since there were some objections to her recruitment, ra needed to act ordingly and win everyone''s trust. Currently, her job is hanging with a frail thread which can be cut off with the slightest of mistakes. ...yet, here she was. Wandering around the dorm area while trying to find a certain person she has been eager to meet. ra is not given the charge of taking rounds of the Academy for security purposes at night. That role is given to those who excel in defensive and offensive-type spells. That''s why her presence here wouldn''t be batted off with any excuse she makes. ''Hmm...my spells haven''t lost the connection nor that artifact but why is it so difficult to locate him?'' ra frowned upon finding herself wandering in a loop around some houses. Although the presence of her potions was strong around these areas, without a definite clue she couldn''t knock on someone''s door and ask, ''Are you my saviour?'' ra''s shoulders slumped in dejection as she decided to continue her investigation tomorrow¡ªwhen suddenly, a familiar voice called out to her, "Professor ra? What are you doing here at this hour?" The olive green-haired Professor¡ªCeaser walked toward her with a deep frown marring his stern face. Truth be told, he was thest teacher she wanted to meet, but running away was not an option any longer since she is a Professor now, "I was wandering around while thinking about my research and before I knew I was here. Sorry to make you worry, Professor." ra could feel that there was something off about this man¡ªmore like he gave the vibe of those people who used to see ra just as a pretty face back in the vige. "Should I escort you back to your room?" ra, with her smile now slightly falling apart, politely declined, "It won''t be necessary, Professor. Okay then, good night." With a slight bow, she turned on her heels and walked away. Ceaser remained rooted in his spot as he watched ra''s retreating figure. His head then turned toward his left where a certain young man was given to reside. "Logan...did shee to meet him?" The possibility made Ceaser''s blood boil but it cannot be refuted that ra and Logan seemed close during the homeroom as well. And for ra to be found around this ce at this hour... ''Logan...'' The name is now etched in Ceaser''s subconscious and sooner orter he would be having a very interesting interaction with the boy. ******** Just the opposite side of the house where Ceaser red, a boy with silvery hair could be seen currently standing on the roof of one of the buildings. Kyle ''saw'' ra advancing straight toward the dorm where he and tia lived which made him realise two things once again; ra isn''t naive. And she tricked him. Kyle couldn''t have parted from his lovely potions which ra gave but he can fool her by moving around the ce where Logan lives so maybe she might misunderstand her saviour as Logan? Who knows? Well, the main motive behind Kyle''s deflection is not to let ra recognise him as the person who somewhat saved her. That''s why he had discarded the potion pouch which was an artifact¡ªhe realised it upon investigating it with Beta¡ªand kept the remaining potions in a different box. ''I need to be careful tho...she is very perceptive...'' Kyle sighed and decided to head back to his room before tia could get a whiff of the matter. ****** The next morning Kyle could be seen brushing hisdy''s hair as usual. Her soft and silky blond hair was quite satisfying to smoothen out. "How do you wake up so early even though you sleep after me?" tia couldn''t keep her eyespletely open since it was only five-thirty on the clock. The ss begins at seven thirty but since today is the first day, tia has to report half an hour early to the Council Office. Kyle chuckled and said, "Master has trained me enough that I can look healthy and fine even without sleeping for a whole week." tia''s sleep was exhausted hearing their master''s name. The discussion she had with the Sage still makes her nervous. However, she never told Kyle about this since the Sage had asked her not to. Kyle''s life decisions and way of thinking might take a dramatic change¡ªshe said and tia concurred. A brief silence followed between the two as Kyle continued to brush her hair. It was then, that tia suddenly remembered something from yesterday and warned Kyle, "When you would follow me to the Academy, beware of a lunatic named Logan." Kyle''s hand momentarily paused upon hearing that name from tia before he asked, "Why do you say that?" "He told me he wants to fight with you." This time the brush from his hand slipped, and this time tia also noticed the unusual reaction from Kyle. The silver-head butler had a nk face as he asked, "Why were you even conversing with him?" Given tia''s personality, Kyle didn''t think she woulde in contact with Logan any time soon. But to hear that they chatted on the very first day... tia was baffled as she turned to look at him, and mindlessly answered, "We are deskmates so...." "--!" Now Kyle was more cautious rather than being just wary. Canonically Logan was supposed to sit with the pink-haired girl who is also Elera''s master. And tia was supposed to sit alone until veryte in the semester. ''Did my presence create this difference....?'' There was no point in pondering since Kyle knew that it was the case. The sparring round is arranged by the teachers, despite it being shown that the matchups are arranged based on a lottery system. And since Kyle had scored brilliantly in the first two rounds¡ªwhich the original Kyle failed to do¡ªthat''s why Kyle was positioned against a barrier master who was supposed to either defeat Kyle or at least deduct some marks from his perfect-looking scorecard. But Kyle went beyond their expectations and because of that, the plot shifted again. ''Damnit!'' As much Kyle didn''t want tia and Logan toe in contact, because of his actions they are now deskmates. tia, who found a golden chance to tease Kyle, was about to ask whether he was jealous¡ªwhen suddenly Kyle leaned down and embraced her from behind. His arms possessively encircled her waist and the grip he had on her, felt like she was being caged. His hot breath brushed against her nape as Kyle rested his face in the crook of her neck. A shiver travelled down her spine feeling this aggressiveness so early in the morning¡ªto the point that tia became totally motionless. Amidst the growing tension, Kyle''s husky voice resonated clearly in her ears, "....you are my girlfriend right?" tia stiffly nodded and felt her heart beating just like how it wasst night when they were kissing in the kitchen. "Then can you listen to your boyfriend and stop sitting with another guy? I really don''t like it." If he says in such a way, then forget about that boy, tia would spend the rest of her schooling days sitting alone. However, naturally, she didn''t say that and obediently replied, "I won''t sit with him anymore." "Good girl." Kyle kissed her cheeks softly before standing back up. Leaving a drained tia behind who was still breathing heavily, Kyle went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for hisdy~ ******** A/N:- Don''t ask me how would I bring harem to this story. Chapter 55- Joining the council Chapter 55- Joining the council It was officially the first day at school and tia was moving toward the academic building so she could meet the Student Council in an appropriate manner today. However, her mind was not currently upied with the talk that she would have with the Council President, rather it was fixated on the people she passed by. Naturally, she doesn''t care about those people who give her varying looks from admiration to awe. However, today she wasn''t the focus of the passerby''s attention. ''Why does he have to look so good....'' tia grumbled as she nced behind her and found her breath choking in her throat. Kyle was looking majestic today. With his full-sleeved white shirt and a ck waistcoat adorning his upper body, he looked quite charming. His lean physique and strong arms were looking profoundly defined in the tailor-made uniform. The long ck pants that ended at his ankles entuated his long and slim legs that moved in elegant strides. The slick ck shoes just added extra points to his overall attire. His hair wasbed neatly unlike how he appeared yesterday in the kitchen, and his strict expression made him look nothing but excessively hot. His whole presence demanded attention even though Kyle never asked for it. And among those people, tia was also one who couldn''t resist his charm. "I suggest you look forward, mydy. " Hearing his words and seeing that smile that he was barely resisting, tia blushed in embarrassment and hurriedly turned to look forward. This isn''t good. She can''t behave like this! tia reprimanded herself in mind and decided to stare at her lover when they were alone. "Hello!" Suddenly a familiar person appeared in Kyle''s vision and tia stiffened. It wasn''t the person who greeted her that troubled tia rather it was the person following her. "Miss Emily." tia greeted the pink-headed girl who had scored great results in the entrance exams and concluded in the second position¡ªjust below tia. Just for a moment, the princess nced at the short-haired girl in whom Kyle had been quite interested yesterday. She narrowed her eyes and found her hue to be ranging around ''wariness'' and ''curiosity''. tia didn''t focus on Elera for long as she heard Emily asking, "Your Highness, can I be your friend?" Kyle raised his brows at the outgoing personality who didn''t find tia''s cold demeanor as a sign to back off. In response to Emily''s query, tia nodded and said, "I am more than fine to have you as my acquaintance. Okay then, see youter." Just at the entrance of the academic building, tia stepped toward the left¡ªwhich was the opposite of the ssroom and walked away before Emily could say anything else. Kyle, naturally, followed her andpletely ignored the re directed by Elera. Once they were away from the duo, Kyle asked, "You don''t n on befriending anyone here?" Earlier, tia made it clear to Emily that she could only be an acquaintance but not a friend. And that remark brought that re from Elera, which never bothered tia. In response to his question, tia indifferently replied, "I have a far greater reason to be here rather than making friends." Kyle raised his brows with a slight nod of admiration. Hisdy is really focused on her goal, eh? ******* "I will wait for you here," Kyle said as he stood near the entrance of the Council office. Naturally, he wasn''t allowed to go inside, rather other than the council members and the teachers, no one was allowed to walk in without permission. tia nodded to him, and without any sign of anxiety, she knocked on the door and parted it. "Oh, you are here~" Everyone turned to look at the person, who was called out by the Council President. "Sorry for the disturbance." tia gave a slight bow once she reached the President''s table. The council office had two long tables on either side of the room where the other members sat. A separate big table was provided for the President. The red-haired President shook her head and while indicating toward the others, she said, "They were doing mostly nothing, anyways." "That''s an unfair thing to say, President!" One of the members with military-cut hair got up and with a m on the desk, heined. "Yes, yes! We are working on the budget report here!" Another girl who was the treasurer also rebuked the nonchnt President who doesn''t recognise others'' work asbour at all. "Yeah~yeah." Isabelle shrugged and turned her attention back to tia, "So Miss tia, what do you have decided? Do you want to serve the Council as an administrative assistant or join the Disciplinary division?" "In the first path, you would need to collect different reports from different divisions, organize them and summarise them before handing them to me. In the second route, you would be given the role of maintaining discipline on the campus." tia had already decided to join the council as a disciplinarian since moving around and dealing with students would allow her to interact with Kyle more. "I would like to join the Disciplinary department, President." Isabelle sighed in disappointment but somehow she expected it. With her shoulders slumped and lips droopy, the President spoke, "Very well....along with that freshman, you also join the Disciplinary department...." tia''s gaze grew sharp, as she asked, "Who...is the other person?" However, before Isabe could respond a loud explosion erupted from the outside and the doors of the Council office were blown out of its hinges. Isabelle along with the other staff immediately got up and advanced towards the entrance. tia wasn''t much far away, however, unlike others, she was quite anxious about this explosion. And as she thought, one of the two involved in themotion was none other than Kyle¡ªand the person he was defending again was... ******* [Omake] It was around the time when tia and Kyle were training under the Sage before entering the Academy. Currently, the couple could be seen sitting under arge tree while the blond girl applied burn relieving gel to Kyle''s left arm. Her expression suggested that she was both angry and sad seeing his charred skin and the painful grunts he let out whenever she applied the soothing cream. "You don''t like when someone hurts me, no?" Hearing his voice which was quivering a little made her even more apprehensive. She used a clean towel to wipe the sweat on his forehead, "The right to hurt you and love you should be only limited to me." Kyle brought his uninjured arm to her face and softly wiped the moisture umted at the corner of her eyes. Cupping her cheek, he made her look at him before uttering, "That is true but there are things which we cannot control. In the future, there maye a time when someone hurt me pretty bad and despite wanting to, you wouldn''t be able to help me." "There is nothing in the world that can stop me from protecting you." Kyle smiled at the silly girl before reminding her, "If getting hurt can be profitable to me....would you still intervene?" tia frowned when he said that. An d until this day she couldn''t understand what he meant that day. ******** A/N:- Umm...drop ament. Chapter 56- Unworthy Chapter 56- Unworthy Kyle was given the role of serving the Princess of the Empire¡ªone of the most important and influential figures. Naturally, he has to maintain a persona befitting the servant of someone serving her. He stood near the entrance of the Council Room with an indifferent look. The passerby and their gazes didn''t bother him as he remained rooted at his spot with his arms crossed behind his back. ''Quitete...'' A thought passed Kyle''s mind but soon a grin fought its way to his lips as he sensed something advancing toward him at an unnatural pace. He didn''t show any movements and wiped that smirk off instantly. He has to pretend to be oblivion as he awaited for the right time. "Take this!!" Kyle heard a loud booming voice from above his head as he parted his mouth and looked up in horror. "Wha!" He raised his hands to cover his face, the perfect pretence to show himself as an unaware fellow who had been suddenly attacked. The heel of the ambusher connected with Kyle''s wrist and the force of the collision sted away the doors of the council office. *CRACK* Naturally, for not adjusting himself ording to and allowing his thin bones to face the attack, Kyle heard something breaking in him. "What are you doing?!" The secretary of the President was the one who reached the site and shouted at the ambusher, who was none other than Logan. Logan jumped back to the ground with a frown marring his face. However, it wasn''t because the Secretary shouted at him, rather it was theck of response from Kyle that bothered Logan. ''Why didn''t he defend himself?'' Logan asked in his head while staring at the loosely hanging hand of Kyle which undoubtedly had broken because of his strike. "Answer me this instance or you would be severely punished!" The normally gentle and girlish Secretary yelled at Logan again¡ªbringing thetter''s focus on him finally. "Calm down, Phil." The red-haired President finally arrived before the group and asked her secretary to take some deep breaths first. Turning her eyes toward Logan she asked, "Can you tell me the reason, why you attacked Mr. Butler here?" A sense of concern shed in Isabe''s eyes when she looked at Kyle''s broken hand and paleplexion. tia moved through the crowd and the experience of the breeze of the peak winter was experienced by everyone present there. Thankfully, she didn''t lose control of her powers like yesterday¡ªIsabe sighed in relief before she heard Logan answering. "I wanted to have a duel with him." "And you deemed this a proper way of asking?" Isabe asked...no, she wondered in surprise. Logan innocently responded, "I knew a duel between a servant and a student isn''t allowed unless some special situation arises. That''s why...." Now Isabe was a little exasperated but that didn''t show on her face as she asked him in her usual tone, "You remembered that rule but forgot the basic norm? Do you think, attacking an individual out of nowhere can ever be epted?" Hearing her reprimand, Logan didn''t say anything and lowered his eyes. He epts that his way of initiating the battle was wrong and once again, it was proven that his oldrades were right. Logan indeed is a battle junkie who can go to some absurd lengths to have a match with a worthy opponent. ....however, now Logan has to rethink whether Kyle is a worthy opponent. Did his eyes betray him? Was Logan''s excitement unneeded? "President, having someone as brute as Logan in the council is not eptable. I, as your Vice President, do not approve him." The long ck-haired male with golden eyes explicitly dered without an ounce of hesitation. Given Logan was one of the bestbatants from the first years, the statement of the vice president was indeed surprising. "Someone who cannot himself maintain discipline...how can we hope to have him as a disciplinarian? I also don''t approve of him, President." The Disciplinary Committee chief with short army-cut hair spoke. Isabe sighed as she sensed the hostility the whole council held towards Logan. She cannot go against them to have Logan in the Council and truth be told, she also didn''t like how he acted just now. "Well, let''s continue this talkter. First, tia...can you lead Mr. Butler to the infirmary?" tia didn''t take a nce at Logan fearing that she might freeze him to death and after nodding she helped Kyle to move. Once they were gone, Isabe told Logan, "To ensure that nothing like this happens again, I have to punish you." Logan didn''t say anything and just nodded. Now that he was more calm, he realised the severity of the matter and was prepared to ept any punishment which the Council deemed suitable. ******* [Kyle''s POV:] Being aware of Logan''s personality has been so advantageous for me. The moment I realised that he was interested in battling against me, I devised a n. I knew tia wanted to join the Disciplinarymittee and in the canon, the distance between Logan and her lessened while they were working together. If Logan had joined the Disciplinarymittee then tia might have chosen to be a reporter. And I didn''t want her topromise. So to remove Logan from the council and lower his interest in me, I acted weak. I knew the type of person he was, not today but someday he would have attacked me and the result would have been the same. "Why are you grinning like this? Stop it." tia''s cold voice instantly froze my smile. I forgot that she still was mad. Inching closer to her I whispered, "You did well by not attacking Logan. That''s why I love my so much." "Do you think I will forgive you every time you say that?" You say that but those burning ears tell a different story. When tia neared me earlier in front of the council office I told her to not react. It was very important for tia to not get into unnecessary conflicts for now. The uing arcs need tia as a Disciplinary officer as such I have to keep things in moderation and mould the events ordingly. "...do you trust me?" My question made her look away before she replied, "More than I trust myself." I smiled at her fondly and whispered in a soft tone, "Then leave everything to me. I assure you, that my every step will be heading toward the future we desire." Holding her hand gently I added, "The future in which the only two of us exist." ******* A/N:- This hiding the strength thingy won''t be consistent. Kyle had to do something to remove the spotlight from him. Drop ament if you liked the chapter. Chapter 57- I will serve you Chapter 57- I will serve you Under the brightly shining sun of peak afternoon at two, one could see a lone figure currently picking up leaves from a garden. His process is slow and deliberate since he has some sort of anklet tied around his ankles. He is the same person who broke the rule as a student and was given the punishment of cleaning the garden while wearing the weighted anklets, after ss. Logan has faced the most severe situations so this much was nothing for him. ''Haah...'' But undoubtedly, he didn''t enjoy this punishment as he wiped the sweat off his forehead. The crunch of leaves signifies how hot the sun in the early period of the year has turned out to be. ''But to think he was so weak...and he didn''t seem to possess any skill...'' When Logan heard yesterday that Kyle was unawakened yet he defeated that candidate with barrier skills, Logan thought that Kyle might be hiding his skill because of some circumstances. However, when today he attacked the silver-haired butler, as a warrior the first thing he should have done was to activate his skill. It is a natural reaction to an emergency. However, it felt like Logan was targeting a regr man who received that attack with minimal defense. "Phew....almost done." Abandoning Kyle''s thoughts, Logan stared at the remaining bunch of trees, under which there were about fifty dried fallen leaves. "Oh, my~Punishment on the second day?" Hearing that voice, Logan knew who it was. "Professor ra." Turning toward her, he gave a respectful bow and said, "Thank you for your guidance yesterday." In this Academy if someone has behaved normally and quite politely toward him then it was this violet-haired professor. Logan liked her personality and helping nature. ra was holding an umbre over her head and books in the other one as she asked, "So is it true that you attacked someone and beat them senseless this morning?" Logan''s eyes parted wide, "Who the fu-" That re from ra prohibited him from saying that word before Logan finished speaking in his defense, "....who spread such a false rumor? I just attacked someone and only some bones in his hand were slightly dislocated." ra narrowed her eyes even more as she asked, "Are you really telling the truth?" "If I speak any lie here then I would clean the garden like this for the rest of this year." ra''s brows elevated as she believed in him, "Well if you say so. Thankfully, it wasn''t a student who got attacked, but unfortunately, the servant you attacked serves the Princess. Did you know that?" Logan shrugged, "For me, strength matters. And I found Kyle a worthy opponent...until I didn''t attack him. And didn''t Professor ra say that every student inside the Academy is equal...then why should I be stressed about ssmate tia?" Seeing that nonchnt side, ra heaved a sigh, "That''s the rule but try to follow some social norms sometimes. There is a life outside the academy that doesn''t work based on rules... especially for some individuals with some certain authorities." Logan blinked before a frown marred his face. He somehow could understand what she was saying and knew that ra was looking out for him. Giving her another bow, he respectfully said, "Thank you for the advice, Professor. I am really grateful." ra chuckled and turned on her heels to leave. Suddenly she paused and without turning to look at him, she asked Logan, "What name did you say of that person whom you attacked?" Logan pulled himself up and while tilting his head in confusion he said, "Kyle....? Is there something the matter, Professor?" ra shook her head and began to walk away. ''Kyle huh...'' ****** After the sses were over a certain blond girl could be seen currently hurrying her way past everyone without paying any heed to what they were whispering about her. The reason for tia''s rush was Kyle. The injury he incurred this morning might have been healed but the nurse said that he should avoid using that hand for today at the very least. She didn''t stay in the main building to enjoy the services of the cafeteria and made her way back to the dorm even though it was only three on the clock. Her priority lies in Kyle. *Click* "I am back." Announcing her return, tia searched around the dorm room and didn''t find Kyle in the living area. She didn''t bother to exchange the shoes and after getting rid of her school shoes she ran bare feet inside. She could see that the house was in a proper condition¡ªtidier than how she left it in the morning, which made her concerned as she stepped inside the bedroom....and finally halted her steps. Her shoulders slumped and a sigh of relief escaped through her lips. On the bed, slept a silver-headed prince while hugging the pillow. She slowly made her towards him while being cautious of not stumbling on things. Once she reached him, she nced at his injured hand and fortunately, the bandage was still wrapped around it. His silver bangs covered his closed eyes and there was no emotion on his face apart from peacefulness. tia smiled at this rare vulnerable side of her lover as she softly brushed his hair and whispered in a barely audible tone, "How can''t someone fall for such a pretty face?" tia was about to remove her hand and prepare some tea when suddenly her hand was taken into a firm hold and she was pulled back on the bed. tia''s yelp was adorable to his ears as Kyle rested his Princess on himself and hugged her soft and warm body. Her fragrance tempted him and her presenceforted him. While softly brushing her golden strands away so he could look into her violet eyes, Kyle said, "So am I just a pretty face for you? I never knew you had such a shallow love for me." tia did not panic, except for that time when he just suddenly pulled her. She rested her chin on his chest and slightly tilted her head, "It''s toote to realize now. You are already too deeply in love with me to back out now." That amount of words was already more than what she said during sses. And that smile she was exposing might have made her ssmate unsure whether they were looking at the same tia. "Oo~so it''s like that, huh? So I am nowpletely bounded to you." Without a doubt." tia reaffirmed before her eyes traveled to the hand he just raised, which urged her to ask, "How is it?" Kyle paused his hand, which was about to remove the pillow from under his head before he replied, "Just as I said before, I am already healed. There is no pain and no ufortable sensation anywhere else." tia feared that the shockwave of that attack might have traveled to other parts of his body that''s why she had him go through a thorough checkup before he was allowed to return to the dorm. Hearing his words, she sighed in relief before getting up. "You sit here. I will prepare the tea." Kyle was about to get up when suddenly he found her index finger pressing against his chest. tia, with her eyes narrowed, reminded him, "Don''t you remember what the nurse said? No work for you today." Taking his bowtie from the nearby table she wrapped it around her neck and said determinedly, "Today, I will be serving you." ******* A/N:- Umm, should I escape the next ch-nah! I like to write romance so I will. But don''t worry, I won''t slow down the plot. Thanks for reading. Chapter 58- What am I~1 Chapter 58- What am I~1 The atmosphere inside the conference hall was palpable with tension, the air thick with unspoken concerns. Around the expansive round table, the participants sat with furrowed brows, their serious expressions reflecting the gravity of the situation. Documents were passed back and forth, each report was meticulously scrutinized as department heads detailed their challenges and achievements. The person to whom all these reports were reaching was a tall and chiseled man who, despite being in histe forties could be regarded as a man in his prime age. The golden long hair and violet eyes of the man shone brightly inside the dimly lit room as the man read the document presented before him. "The trade has been showing great results, thanks to the transportation security Prince Edward''s arranged." "Yes, my lord. The bandits who often target the trade carts are now appearing less and those who do, either get captured or ughtered on-site." The administrator of the trade department voiced his gratefulness followed by the Prime Minister''s approval. The one who was being praised here didn''t show any reaction as he nonchntly read the report on finance while sitting beside his father. "What about the foreign rtions? Did we manage to draw a line with the Northern Empire?" The voice of the Emperor was heard by all but answered by one, "They did not agree with the agreement of trade allowance and resource sharing. We tried negotiating but they are behaving like children." "Or are they purposely trying to provoke us?" The words spoken by Edward made everyone speechless. However, before anyone could have asked why Edward would say something like that, the one with the utmost authority in the room, spoke up, "The Seventh General. I want her to be on the way to the North with her army and the mage support team." The eyes of many widened upon hearing that. The Seven Commanders serving the Valenchide Empire are the pirs of defense and the one who was infamous for her brutal problem-solving methodology is the Seventh Commander. "Your Majesty...sending Captain Diana to the North..." "Forget about battle, she might end up destroying the Capital of North." The shared opinion of the Prime Minister and Prime Adviser made everyone nod in assent. Commander Diana Victoria Reid is not a name just to be respected. That name creates terror and the person herself is the personification of chaos. Despite being just twenty-one years old, she has shown strength surpassing many of the other warriors from ancient times and her Unique Skill was just as formidable as the person herself. Regardless of their concerns, the Emperor didn''t show any hesitation, "Despite being young and a little hot-blooded, Diana has good judgment. If she ends up destroying the North, then it means they deserved it." No one spoke about it anymore. The Emperor wasn''t just a man with authority. He has a good eye for people. A brief silence ensued in the conference hall before the Prime Minister initiated the topic about which he has been concerned about for some months now, "Your Majesty, about Princess tia''s butler..." The Emperor, for the first time since the meeting began, showed a change in his expression. His eyes grew sharp and his demeanor somehow shifted into a more profound one. "Send her a letter." Those words signified that the Emperor had decided to hand over the ancient armor to the butler named Kyle. However, only Edward knew that this invitation was not just a rewarding ceremony. Kyle would have to go through a trial that would decide his future as a butler...and as a person. ******* Not many things in this world can make tia nervous. But among those few things, there is something that she feels troubled about the most. Chopping. *Gulp* Standing in front of the chopping board which had some vegetables resting over, she hyped herself for the work. The soup she wants to prepare cannot be made without some diced vegetables. Surely she knows how to cook since along with the training of etiquette as a princess, she was trained as a warrior as well. However, chopping vegetables has never been her fort¨¦ nor has she ever built confidence regarding her knife skills. In the past whenever she tried chopping anything, she ended up cutting her finger and the ingredient went to waste. ''How about I freeze the vegetables and break them into pieces....not good. They would taste nd...'' She couldn''t think of any possible route she could tread on, to perfectly dice the veggies. But, she wants to feed Kyle some good food! ''I can do this. In front of tia Valenchide, this much is nothing.'' She picked the knife which was about seven inches in length, and picked a mushroom before cing it on the board. The hand with which she held the knife trembled a little as she brought it on top of the mushroom. Sweat dripped down her neck as she held her breath and lifted the knife. ''Here goes nothing!'' She closed her eyes and intended to chop the mushroom in two with a single sh¡ªwhen suddenly she found her hand halting in mid-air. "Are you trying to slice your hand off or something?" His crisp voice made her shudder as she looked over her shoulder and found him ring at her. "I-I...just wanted to make something good for you when I have the opportunity," tia spoke in a trembling tone. Those pitiful eyes rendered Kyle speechless He wasn''t a heartless being to stop her, but he surely could help her. Hugging her from behind, Kyle held her hands and said, "Now follow my lead..." tia nodded at that with a fresh wave of enthusiasm washing over her. Kyle was a head taller than her so he was easily able to guide tia in chopping vegetables. "Yes....like this....just never close your eyes while using a knife, okay?" "Mmm." She hummed as she found her hands finally moving in the required fineness, and the vegetables getting diced perfectly (they were asymmetrical and rough around the edges). Along the way, Kyle was just touching her hands and tia moved by herself. Once Kyle was assured that she wouldn''t hurt herself he slowly backed off. tia continued to slice and dice easily with a happy smile extending her lips. Kyle slowly backed away, when suddenly he stumbled on a mushroom that had fallen earlier, and a slight exim left his lips. "Kyle-ah!" tia was startled and while moving her hand she turned to look at him¡ªonly to feel her finger getting grazed by the knife. "Careful!" Kyle walked forward and found her clutching her hand. Her index finger was wounded with crimson fluid already trailing down her finger. On instinct, Kyle brought the finger to his lips and sucked her finger¡ªto stop the bleeding. "Kyle, no!!" tia suddenly pulled away her finger which startled Kyle. However, before he could realize the reason behind her sudden reaction, his vision turn ed blurry and Kyle fell to the ground. ¡ªTBC ******* A/N:- Welp, if you know, you know. Drop ament Chapter 59- What am I~2 Chapter 59- What am I~2 Where am I....? Everywhere I see, there is darkness. It felt like this was the same point I saw just after I transitioned from my previous life to this one. Wait...that means I am dead? ''How can I be so careless?'' I gritted my teeth in frustration. I have always been so cautious about my identity as a Dark Magic user and just now, I ended up consuming ''s blood. Fuck...I don''t wanna die. In my previous life, I didn''t have much of an attachment to anyone. Just an average person at best. But in this life, I have someone I don''t want to part away from. Someone whom I love more than my own life and dreamt of making a happy family with her. ....but all that dissolved into ruins just because of a single mistake. ''No man...'' I closed my eyes and dropped to my knees. This was so depressing...I was feeling helpless. [Quite miserable you look.] Amidst the silence that was mutual everywhere in this void, a voice that cannot be distinguished whether it belonged to a male or female, resounded profoundly. I lifted my head and looked toward my front It was a figure...of something with wings. The centre body of the being was covered in shadows and the only thing that I could make the details out of was the two shades of its wings. The left-wing was like an angel''s. Pure white feather, fluffy and delicate. But the right one was quite horrifying. Broad, shadowy wings, their leathery surfaces etched with faint, glowing veins, exuding a sense of foreboding power. It felt like someone had draped translucent dark curtains over bones to look more like wings. "....what are you?" In the story, there was never a reference to something like this. A devil and an angel? What in the seven world, this abomination was? [I...am something you can be.] My brows frowned, "How?" [Don''t you already know? The reason why you are still alive and never feel troubled despite living so close to a Divine Awakened?] My heart clenched in anxiety hearing that. However, before anything I needed to confirm something, "Am I...really alive?" [Oh, yes. You are. It''s just this is the first time you ingested the Divine Blood so this minor shock was inevitable. And to unlock these memories, this seemed to be the best opportunity.] My frown deepened hearing that. Nothing it said made any sense. "Memories you say...but whose?" [That doesn''t matter. The purpose of this memory is to warn you. Warn you about the beings who are aware of your existence and dread your potential. These individuals can massacre thousands without hesitation, all in the name of eradicating what they perceive as the true evil¡ªthat is you.] "But what am I?!" I couldn''t help but let my voice elevate a little. This was soplicated and frustrating that I didn''t know where should I focus first. Suddenly, the figure of the winged individual began to fade and only thest of its words kept on echoing in my head, [You will soon find out...just be cautious of whom you trust....this world is more ursed than you think....] "Kyle!" "Huh?" My vision suddenly changed from that void to tia. She was looking down at me with tears staining her eyes. I heaved a deep breath and felt calmness washing over me. The fact I could feel her warmth and hear her voice was enough evidence to let me know that I was back. I slowly brought my hand to her cheek and softly caressed her, "Why are you crying....?" "Shut up! You had me dead for a moment!" She held my hand tightly to her chest and wept even more. It wasn''tmon for tia to be so emotional which means she indeed was quite worried. Well, that''s understandable since I copsed all of a sudden. "I think you should give him some space to breathe." My brows knitted upon hearing that voice which definitely didn''t belong to tia. ...somehow I knew this voice. With tia''s help, I got up and found the same person I expected. ra. I barely resisted the urge to show any reaction upon witnessing the woman here in this house and staring at me with that smirk. ''There is no doubt....''While I was unconscious, I wasn''t able to mask the presence of her potions. But the question was, "Why...is Professor ra here?" "Oh, you know me?" The grin on ra''s face extended but I responded to her while still pretending to be innocent, "I know every Professor who teaches here so I could prepare an urate schedule for mydy." My answer might be usible, but the damn smile on her face tells me she didn''t believe a word of it. Tch. "Thank you for your assistance, Professor." tia bowed her head and thanked thedy¡ªmuch to ra''s fluster. "I-I just did what a teacher should have." Okay, so she still was not immune to getting thanked by her students. Well, that''s funny. I also lowered my head and thanked thedy, "Thank you for saving me, Professor. I will do my best to return the favour if the chance arises." Hearing thatment, ra giggled before she informed me, "I will be looking forward to that asion." Saying so she got up from the chair and handed tia some vials of potion, "These are for safety purposes. If he feels dizzy or nauseous feed him one of these. Ah, and, make sure there is a time gap of eight hours between every dose." tia nodded to that and saw her off to the entrance. I sat down on the couch and heaved a lengthy sigh. It felt like I had just travelled across a vast distance in a very short time. My muscles were a bit sore and so was my throat. And now this stress of ra was weighing over me ''Be cautious of who you trust.'' Those words echoed in my head and I couldn''t help but feel this situation to be even more burdensome. Having tia the only person who knows about my secret was enough. I didn''t want to let anyone else know about it....after all, I can''t believe in anyone as much as I have trust in tia. ''Haah...this is one hell of a situation...'' ****** After leaving the dorm room where ra went to check up on a butler, she couldn''t help but grin ear to ear. She. Found. Him. It was like she had received gifts at the summer festival from the fairy that much tion she was experiencing right now. No, this was probably far greater joy. ''He wasn''t able to distract me this time, fufu~'' She didn''t notice how she was now hopping toward the teacher''s block while remembering the face of the silver-haired. Now that she knows his identity, nothing in this world can stop ra from getting to know more about her Prince. Hehe~ ****** While ra was leaving the dorm section, she totally missed a pair of eyes that caught her figure in the darkness. ''Professor ra...'' Ceaser frowned his brows seeing that happy smile on her face and given from which direction she wasing, the reason behind her smile became evident. *Clench* The ground trembled under his untamed aura as he clenched his fist and followed ra with his eyes. This was going far beyond his tolerance now. The woman he desires has gotten too close to another man. This was not eptable. Every woman should know, which ma n they are destined to please. And this bitch is now breaching her boundaries! ''Unforgivable...'' ****** A/N:- These kind of guys die first. Chapter 60- Shit… Chapter 60- Shit¡­ Some days of the Academy passed without any troubles. Well, for the most part, that is. Logan didn''te to challenge me again. Thankfully, it seems he has lost interest in this weak one. I have also kept my distance from the other main cast to not draw any attention when I need to act. The memories I saw that day after consuming tia''s blood were something I had kept a secret from her. I wasn''t sure what I should make out of that dream that''s why I decided to keep it to myself for the time being. Although I was uncertain about my origin now I wasn''t going out of my way to research it. After all, extra effort would bring unnecessary attention. And talking about attention, the only thing that has been troubling me for the past few days then it was, "Are you waiting for your mistress?" Outside the council office, where I stood in silence, the only Professor who bothered herself with a butler was none other than the Potion expert. "Good evening, Miss ra." I politely greeted her without showing how annoyed I was with her continuous pestering. Any time she finds me alone, shees to me and tries to make small conversations. It isn''t like I was irritated because of that, but rather because her attention on me would severely change the plot. Having Ceaser''s hatred directed at me rather than Logan could prove to be counterproductive that''s why I want to avoid ra. However, "If it''s not much then can we share lunch?" I resisted sighing before I responded, "Forgive me, Miss ra, but as a butler, I cannot ck off during duty hours." She tilted her head before suggesting, "But doesn''t the council work take two hours at least? I am sure it won''t be much of a problem." She suddenly held my hand and against my will began to pull me¡ªurging me to call out for her, "Okay, let''s settle this." I looked around the hall with the help of Beta and concluded that there was no one around the lobby. Once I ensured I made ra look at me, "Can I ask you why you are persistent in gaining my attention, Miss ra?" She looked taken aback by my direct approach but soon she confessed, "I just want to know about the mister who is bad at hiding his traces." "Traces of what? And why would I try to hide myself from you? Do I even know you?" ra blinked and lookedpletely astonished by my sudden change of tone. Although I felt bad talking to her in that manner, I have to do this....for the betterment of both of us, "Look, Miss ra...I am not sure who you are mistaking me for but I am not the person you are looking for. I can never be. So please, stop pestering me." I was rude. I know that. ra didn''t deserve to hear such harsh words. I know that. I was being a dick...I know that. But everything I was doing was to keep her and myself safe. I cannot let my secret get out that''s why it''s important to make ra lose interest in me. If I and Ceaser sh, then it would be inevitable for me to show my aces¡ªand that would be the beginning of my downfall. That''s why, I need to maintain my distance from her. She remained silent for a long time¡ª staring at me like she was trying to discern what I was thinking. But I kept my gaze firm at her and didn''t yield. "...I understand. Sorry for bothering you." She let go of my hand and with a slight bow, she apologized. Turning on her heel she began to walk away, and I would be lying to say that I didn''t catch her wiping her tears. Man....this is painful. ****** "Are you feeling well?" "Ah yeah." It was after school, back in the dorm where I and tia were having lunch. Maybe she saw me a little less responsive today which made her suspicious. "You seem dazed since earlier. Did anyone say something to you?" Hearing her query I shook my head without a second thought. Having tia entangled with ra was a bad option, "It''s nothing really. I am feeling a little nervous about the letter." Although I said that to divert the topic I indeed was worried about the letter that arrived from the Capital. The letter demanded my and tia''s presence the next weekend. The subject of this sudden invitation was to reward me for my services and to ensure that in the future, if cmity befalls I can at least perform the duty of a meat shield for tia. "You are troubled about the ritual, right?" I sighed before nodding. "Although I know that I won''t die by consuming a Divine Awakened''s blood...showing any adverse effect might cause them to suspect me." Thew to execute every Curse User was rigid and unmoving. Unless I don''t do something that can be called ''beneficial for humanity'' I won''t get pardoned upon getting my secret revealed. Although tia''s support can help me, I don''t want to push her into that spot where she has to go against her family. In the past, things were different that''s why I didn''t mind taking advantage of tia. In response to my concern, tia remained silent before she suggested, "Kyle, there is a chance that the spies of the Capital might have seen you using your Doll''s abilities or one of the fellow students of the Sage might have reported about you to my brothers or worse, my father already know about your magical abilities?" My expression froze upon hearing that. I had never actually considered that possibility. Although I knew my fellow students wouldn''t have reported my skills since I never revealed my identity, my frequent proximity to tia might have made it easy to connect the dots. Shit....was this invitation to behead me? "Kyle, you don''t need to worry. " Suddenly tia held my hand and softly caressed it. I looked at her before she added, "The fact that you can use Dark arts and also consume the divine essence, might prove to be advantageous for us." With her lips turning into a sadistic smile, she added, "Some drama, some tears...and we might be able to gain what my father would never grant to anyone in his right mind." ....sometimes I tend to forget that she is the main heroine of this world. ******* A/N:- Ah, this chapter was short but I couldn''t add another scene. The next one would be longer. P. S: Feels bad for ra. Chapter 61- Paths Chapter 61- Paths At Starfall Academy, sses are evenly bnced between ssroom-based and field-based instruction. The students studying in the Academy would be the pirs of light in the future and would protect humanity from darkness. There were various fields where the students may join after graduation, but at the time of crisis, all the Light Awakened could be summoned by the Joint Council. That''s why it was necessary to develop the students, both mentally and physically. As such, every student of first-year ss 1 was called out to the indoor gymnasium for one one-on-one spar for light training. The motive of this sparring would be to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the students and based on their performance, groups would be formed. These groups aren''t just any random gathering of students that can be made and broken because of some passing arguments. These groups would have to perform tasks together in the uing events. A party is formed with four to five members and once a party is formed, under only some specific circumstances can a member be excluded or reced from a group. Further, around the autumn, the cross-school tournaments are yed and each academy sends their best students as a group to perform in thepetition. That''s why I was nervous. Given how antisocial tia mostly remains, it would be one heck of a difficult task for her to get included in a group. ''Haah...I need to make her realize the importance of group work...'' I sighed inwardly while my outer front remained expressionless. I, along with several other servants stood in the stands while our respective masters fought in the arena. In case a student gets injured, their servant should be there to apany them to the infirmary. That''s why we were allowed to watch the matches. Elera was standing on my left but there were four more servants between us. Apart from the conversation we had during the servant examination, I have yet to talk to her. But well, it''s rather better if we don''t interact. "You serve Your Highness, right?" The boy with dark green long hair beside me asked, while somehow fighting that smile of excitement from appearing on his face. "Yes." I curtly responded while I recalled the information about this guy who seemed to be a little suspicious. It didn''t take me long to discern that this person serves the son of Count Gazelstone Shepherd¡ªGazelstone Hades. In the novel, there was no noticeable development of Hades. Although he was a named character and someone who appeared in the story quite many times, he actually never had that much of a role other than being Logan''s sparring partner. The Stone Wall¡ªthe nickname he would attain while being a student at the Academy. But why is the butler of Hades showing interest in mydy? "Don''t misunderstand. I am just a fan of her, nothing more." He hastily shook his hand and dered the reason behind his vigour. I shrugged and looked away from him. There was nothing new for someone to be a fan of her. The tales of the aloof and cold princesses are widely spread. Her beauty and strength are iparable in this academy and canonically, not even Logan was able to bring the real tia out of her shell even after they became a cou- ''Let''s not think about it...'' I shook my head and dismissed those thoughts. tia was my girlfriend, and I would erase all those paths that could lead her to Logan... "Next pair: Logan and tia. Pleasee forward." "..." I was left speechless. Utterly speechless. With my brows tiredly raised and lips parted slightly, I looked at the arena and found that indeed Logan and tia were walking towards the arena. ''...why did the plot shift?'' I couldn''t help but ask myself. When everything was going fine, then shouldn''t Logan be paired up with Hades...then why, oh. My eyes suddenly went to the source of this alteration in the plot. The sses-wear bastard with rapey tendencies¡ªCeaser. I am frustrated but not surprised. Ceaser is the only person who could go to some extreme lengths to hurt Logan. And his hatred toward the Protagonist could be seen even without the magical eyes of tia. Although Logan was rated highly in thebat assessment, his fighting style was not suited to go against tia¡ªa magician who can summon a Three-Circle spell without exhausting herself. This was not a good match up and Ceaser knew it. However, considering Logan''s greed for battle, the old bastard knew that Logan wouldn''t give up easily and that persistence would get him hurt. ''What a n...I want to apud.'' Naturally, I didn''t move from my spot and continued to watch the spectacle unfold. ***** [Third Person''s POV:] The audience was abuzz as soon as tia''s name came up for the spar. It has been highly anticipated that against whom she would be paired, given her overwhelming magical strength. Some believed that the Elemental Prodigy¡ªLancer Broody would be paired up against tia. He not only ranked third in the physical assessment but was also rumoured to be a student of an ancient magician. However, the person with whom she shared the arena was a bonafidebatant. ''This is pretty exciting...'' While facing the indifferent front of the Princess, Logan hyped himself up. He always wanted to fight tia ever since he heard about her evaluation through results and rumours. And finally, the opportunity arrived. "Since this is a spar, no lethal attacks are allowed. If you breach the rules, along with disqualification, you will receive negative points. Understood?" Neither of them said anything which urged the referee to raise his hand and while slicing it down, he announced, "Begin!" Logan leapt into the air¡ªhowever, his beast-like agility wasn''t enough to dodge tia''s [Frost Surface] which froze the whole arena and some ice coated around Logan''s feet as well¡ªweighing him back to the arena. ''She is a monster...'' The activation speed of that spell was less than a second. If Logan hadn''t meticulously nned his initial leap, he would have been ensnared in the trap and lost the battle in an instant. For instance, while still airborne, Logan looked down at tia and apart from pure solemnity he could find nothing in her eyes. She wasn''t even affected by the fact that she failed in trapping him! Folding his body Logan suddenly glowed before all the ice fell off as he jerked his body. The basic technique of body strengthening by one''s aura came into y, as Logan free-fell toward tia without any extra weight connected to his feet anymore. His figure descended with a mighty push as he targeted tia from above¡ªtaking advantage of her aloof stance in the battle. Logan''s sole intention in this battle was to draw tia in closebat to ensure his victory. However, just as he believed his w would connect with her shoulder, his wrist was gripped with uncanny swiftness. In the next instant, Logan was hurled onto the ice floor with a resounding thud. "...huh?" Instead of groaning in pain, he let out a confused sound upon finding himself nted on the ground and tia looking down at him without any change of expression. The white ice around his head began to get painted red because of the slight cut in his head but that didn''t bother him as much as it did upon realizing the results. ''...I lost?'' The realisation dawned upon him a moment earlier before his consciousness faded and Logan faced his first defeat after a long time. ******** A/N:- After the twenty-fifth, I would update regrly. Drop ament if you liked the chapter. Chapter 62- Daring Chapter 62- Daring ra was unsure of her life motive for some days now. Although she liked potion researching and teaching the students about it, her main motive foring to Starfall Academy was to search for the person who saved her. Call her a little girl living in a dream but she wanted to thank the Mister who came into her life like a gale and disappeared without warning. Her primary motive to find him turned out sessful as she somehow stumbled upon the person who held her magical pouch. And his voice was familiar as well. ra was enthralled by the discovery and for the next few days she began to do something that she wouldn''t have thought of doing in her rational mind. She became a child. Following Kyle everywhere and trying to talk to him whenever he is alone. Trying to not get caught by his mistress and sneaking behind tia''s back to chat with Kyle at every moment of opportunity. It was like a child''s fantasy bing true. She felt delighted and excited. She recalled each word she talked to Kyle around the day once sheid on the bed at night. And with a shy smile, she wondered what she might talk to him the next time they met. The excitement, the anticipation, the thrill she felt every time she came across him was inexplicable. This was her first. Feeling so many emotions was new to her. However, since she was looking at the situation only from her perspective she became delusional that Kyle was also excited to meet her. She failed to notice the frown that marred his face every time she tried to approach him....the displeasure in his voice and the repulsion in his eyes which ra noticed but chose to ignore. She knew Kyle and tia had a far greater connection than just of a master and servant but she thought, if she tried to pursue him Kyle would give her some attention as well. She was....delusional. Kyle didn''t see her the way he looked at tia. Far from it. He didn''t like her. Well, ra knew she wasn''t beautiful to begin with and she was older than him so it was understandable. However, there was hope in her heart that Kyle might not reject her. Or was it just a shallow belief? ra doesn''t know. She doesn''t know anything. ''Ahh~is this what people call getting rejected by your crush?'' Propping her chin on her palm she looked out of the window towards the clouds as a sigh seeped through her lips. "Professor ra? Is everything alright?" "Hmm? Yeah!" She answered the Professor nearby immediately in her usual vigour She nearly forgot that there were other teachers in the staff room as well. The one who asked ra about her well-being was the Professor of Micro Biology who generally teaches the third year. Her name is Ruby, and just like ra she alsoes from amoner''s background. "You look distracted these days a lot...is there something that is troubling you?" The ck-haired Professor nudged ra with her shoulder before asking in a teasing tone, "Is this love trouble I am sensing?" *Click* Suddenly Ruby and ra, along with several other staff members turned to look at the source of that snapping sound. The bespectacled Professor dropped the pen from his hand which had snapped in two, before he said, "I apologize. I think I put a little too much pressure on it." Nobody said anything about that and Ceaser took out another pen before continuing his work. Ruby shivered slightly as she whispered to ra, "Don''t you think Professor Ceaser behaves a little strangely?" ra wanted to agree but considering their words might be heard by the person himself, she just shrugged. Never could she have expected that her nonchnce toward her surroundings would be such a grave mistake. ******* After Logan fell into battle, he was taken to the infirmary. He has received a concussion but that doesn''t vite the rules, so tia wasn''t punished. The rest of the spars continued normally and never a student was as brutally thrashed as Logan in the ring. After leaving the gymnasium, tia and Kyle were returning to the dorm, since the afternoon sses were off and the students were allowed to rest in their rooms. tia had to return to the council office in a few hours but until then, she decided to take a break. "You clearly took revenge..." Those words didn''t affect tia''s movements as she retained herposure and responded to her butler, "Yes, you are right. But I never knew he was so frail to fall in one hit. If I had known, I would have prolonged the battle a little longer." Those words made Kyle troubled slightly and a sense of tion was born within. There was no doubt that tia took revenge for that incident that urred some days ago outside of the council office. However, considering that the blood lust she permeated towards the Protagonist made Kyle feel, a littleplicated. "You could have been disqualified." "Doesn''t matter. I would gain several points by doing council work." Her answer was straightforward and contained no hesitation. From the start, she was prepared for everything. As they were about to reach the dorm, Kyle asked her, "Have you thought of how you would co-operate with your group members?" "I won''t be a part of one." Kyle raised his brows in shock, "You know that''s impossible right? Everyone has to be in a group to participate in the school activities." Hearing his words, tia smirked and vaguely responded, "Don''t worry about it. I know what I am doing." ******* After they shared lunch and tia slept for an hour, they returned to the school building. tia was in her training period that''s why she couldn''t ck off, even on days of weekends. However, since they have to return to the Capital this weekend, she has decided to ask for leave today. As they reached the council office, tia turned to look at him and said, "It''s highly unlikely that he would wake up today but if that half-crack attacks you again, don''t hold back." The ''half-crack'' here was Logan. Kyle couldn''t help but chuckle hearing those words before he slowly nodded, "Okay, now go." Kyle was about to open the door for tia, when suddenly he felt her lips on his cheek for a moment, and the next moment, she disappeared from sight. Kyle cupped his cheek with a stupid look on his face as he wondered how hisdy gained such daring. ''Seriously...'' But soon he wiped off the smirk and stood outside the council office with a solemn face¡ª ¡ªonly to frown soon after as he felt the potion bag in his pocket, suddenly trembling. ''Hmm?'' Kyle took out the pouch which ra gave him and found the brown small pouch was beating strongly like a heart. ''Wait....doesn''t this mean....'' ******* A/N:- This means that the chapter ends here. Drop ament if you liked the chapter. Chapter 63- Wait for me Chapter 63- Wait for me Ceaser had his eyes on ra the day he saw her during the teacher''s training period where he was one of the supervisors. He couldn''t forget the woman who shone the brightest in the ss and always had a radiant smile on her face. The way she smiled...gave birth to something in his heart. That was...the urge of possession. ra is like a little flower who doesn''t know the darkness of this world. She sways with the gentle breeze but has never faced the harshness of a windstorm. She has seen only the good in this world that''s why she wouldn''t be able to withstand the evil. That''s why...she needs to be tamed before she could get hurt. And that role was something Ceaser had taken upon himself. He wanted ra to be obedient to him. She can smile at others but her mind should always be upied with him. She can talk to others but her sincere words should always be limited to him. She has to be his possession. And that was something Ceaser had decided the first day he saw her. However, he didn''t have a good reputation among his peers and despite having a noble background, he couldn''t just grab the woman and tell her who she belonged to. That''s why Ceaser decided to be patient with his approach. He slowly made her ustomed to his presence and tried to help her time after time to let her know that there was only him on whom she could rely. However, along the path after the students enrolled, she started to act strange. She started to seem somehow engaged in something¡­like she was searching for something¡­.someone. It irked him. What could she, the one he desires, desire for? All she needed was him, right? Then why is it that the woman has be close to one of the brats who doesn''t even know how to wipe his ass properly? That snot doesn''t have any background and is parentless...and ra is giving him the attention that Ceaser wanted? Isn''t this specifically asking him to just kill that son of a bitch?! However, Ceaser was merciful and through someone who always remains full of herself, Ceaser thrashed Logan. But now what? Why did ra seem so troubled? Does she know about the incident and was worried about Logan? It can''t be. It can''t be, right? It can''t be... "Professor Ceaser?" Before he realised it, he was standing before ra who was the only person remaining in the staff room. His eyes were darkened which made ra frown¡ªhowever, before she could call out again, her hair was harshly yanked, "Ahhh! What are you doing?!" ra held his hand and tried to push him away, but his hold on her hair was extremely stiff. Her long nails made deep cuts on his hand but it didn''t stop Ceaser from pulling the woman out of the chair and throwing her to the ground. *Dhak* ra groaned in pain, as she felt a stinging sensation in her waist, however, she took advantage and tried to take out the weapon she had prepared for this kind of situation. "It''s futile." As those words left Ceaser''s lips, the surroundings began to turn dark like they were transported to another dimension. ra looked around with widened eyes as she felt a chill running down her spine. This...this was the infamous skill for which Ceaser was recruited. The Back Room. Creating a pocket dimension inside which nothing goes out of his sight. There was no end to this void and to break this dimension there was only one way. To kill the chanter. But before ra could have made a move, her ankle was stomped upon and a loud crunching sound reverberated across the space. "AAAAAAAHHHH!!" She screamed in agony, clutching her knee as excruciating pain surged through her body, tears streaming uncontrobly down her cheeks. "You slut...dared to look at another man?! *STOMP*" He lifted his foot and stomped at the very same spot again¡ªfurther agonizing her. "HELP!! PLEASE...DON''T DO THIS!!" ra pleaded desperately with the man who had inexplicably begun torturing her. The searing pain in her ankle, crushed under his brute strength, was unbearable. Ceaser smirked at the woman''s crying face. Those tears made him feel hot and relieved. This was what he wanted. This woman needs to be disciplined. She was his and he had to teach her how to be loyal. Crouching down with his left foot still on her ankle, he looked into her moisture-filled eyes and said, "You see, I am a very merciful man...a very forgiving person. However-agh!" Ceaser cried in pain as suddenly, something pierced his chest. The eyes of the woman changed from fearful to agitated as she forced the knife into his chest as deep as she could¡ªintending to kill him if necessary. However, to her utmost shock, the knife suddenly melted away and the shoulders of the man began to shake. "Kukuku~you think you can harm me?" The man''s eyes held such anger that he couldn''t help butugh. ra''s face turned pale as she realized what kind of grave situation she was stuck in. Last time, when she was saved by Kyle, she took the oath that she would never let herself get entangled in such a situation where someone had to rescue her again. However, finding herself in this situation, all she could do was call out to him, "KYLE!!!" "--??" Ceaser frowned hearing that since this wasn''t the name he was expecting her to say. However, before he could think of the name she just yelled out, someone tapped on his shoulder, "Would you mind removing your foot from her?" Ceaser''s irises thinned behind his sses as he heard that voice. In his domain, no one could have entered without letting him know. There was no exception to it even if they possess aura or not. Then howe... "You...you serve the Princess....the fallen nobility Kyle," Ceaser uttered those words as he slowly tried to get up without removing his foot from ra¡ªmaking her wince in pain. Kyle frowned seeing that before he made things easier for the bespectacled bastard. "Urgh! Let me go!!!" Ceaser struggled as suddenly Kyle took hold of his throat and picked the teacher up¡ªremoving the pressure from ra''s foot. Ceaser wed and scratched Kyle''s hand but to no avail. The air from his lungs started to be scarce and his breathing was no longer processing. Ceaser gritted his teeth and summoned a knife in his left hand before pushing it towards Kyle¡ªonly to realise something extremely grave. "Huh?" For a moment Ceaser forgot about the pain as he found the knife phasing through Kyle and the attempt to murder him failed instantly. In his domain, Kyle didn''t exist for Ceaser. However, "Ughhu!!" As he was thrown to the ground brutally, Ceaser realized that for Kyle, everything in this domain existed. Kyle ignored the man for now and advanced toward the dazed ra who was staring at him mindlessly. However, her tears never stopped. He crouched down beside her, before taking the pouch connected to her waist. In it, there were numerous potions but Kyle was able to distinguish between the others and the healing potions. "Just four eh..." Looking at the vials Kyle sighed. Lifting the lid of one, he told ra, "Open your mouth." ra did but just as he was about to feed her, Ceaser shouted, "Don''t touch her!" Kyle clicked his tongue and turned his gaze at the man. Kyle''s eyes burned with a murderous fury, a chilling desire to kill that eclipsed any anger he had ever known. The raw, primal bloodlust that coursed through his veins and consumed his mind urged every fibre of his being to rise and butcher the man in the most gruesome manner imaginable. The intensity of his rage was so palpable it seemed to darken the very air around him, a terrifying promise of violence waiting to be unleashed. Raising the three remaining vials of potions Kyle told the man, "Until these potions can support your life, I am going to torture you. You will beg for death every single minute once I begin but don''t worry, death would only arrive after you finish these potions." With darkness enveloping his very being, Kyle stated, "So just be a good dog and stay put until Ie back for you. Understand?" ****** A/N:- He''s a weak man, to be honest, and only a weak man could ever hurt a woman. Drop ament. Chapter 64- Don’t abandon me Chapter 64- Don¡¯t abandon me The process of torture was something Kyle had learnt from those two bastards in the cell, who were inches away from killing him. Providing the sensation akin to death only to pull away the punch right at the end of the rope. Well, Kyle wasn''t given healing potions so the two bastards, back then, used to beat him in moderation and without any magical spells. However, Kyle was given the privilege to destroy this cur in several ways, with or without magic and just when it seems that the bastard is nearing his death¡ªhealing potions revive him. "Just...k-kill...me...I beg...u ugh." Ceaser''s face twisted in pain because his stomach was burning like a live me was plunged into it. His face was a mess with several dark blue marks inflicted like he had gone through third-degree torture for several days. His sses were broken and the shards of sses blinded the green-haired man. His left arm was twisted and dislocated to the point where minimal movement gave a sensation of unimaginable pain. His ankles were broken and his toes were pulled apart. The fingernails were absent and blood continuously flowed down the tip of his fingers. Kyle burned his head and punctured the insides of his stomach. From head to toe, the man was in tatters¡ªto the point where ra felt pity for him but didn''t say anything to stop Kyle. Kyle held no remorse for what he had done to the man. This person had beaten a woman and was about to sexually assault her. And no one in this world has the right or should harbour any reason to take such a step. And this wasn''t the first time Ceaser was doing something like this. In the novel, it was clearly stated that the man has tortured and killed many students in the past as well. But this was enough. Not because Kyle was tired of torturing but because he was short on time. Taking thest vial of potion, Kyle fed the man who had lost most of his teeth and whose jaw was broken. "Ghurh..." Forcibly feeding the potion, Kyle witnessed the miraculous recovery of the man. While Ceaser was recovering, Kyle went to ra and wordlessly took her long hairpin in his handkerchief. "K-Kyle...are you?" "Yes, I am." His response was quick and without hesitation, he plunged the hairpin deep inside Ceaser''s neck. "Ghugh!!" His body was so traumatized that the man forgot to struggle and with blood draining out like a fountain, he dropped to the ground. Kyle never had any intention of letting the man leave. Not only would ra''s life be in danger, but he also saw Kyle''s face. Once he was done assessing that the man was dead, he returned to ra. There wasn''t much time left since the surroundings had begun to revert to its original state and in the staff room any teacher could drop by any minute. Holding the woman''s shoulder, Kyle locked his gaze with hers, and said, "ra, I know you have gone through something harsh but this is the reality. Several scums like him woulde for you, but you must defend yourself." ra was shaken by all the events that had been urring for the past few minutes. However, all her turmoil came to a pause upon hearing his voice. If Ceaser was that stone that created ripples in her serene mind, then Kyle was the source who helped her regain her calm. She clenched his shirt as tears suddenly began to build in her eyes. She was scared, nervous...by everything. And in such perilous times, it was only he who could have provided her the warmth. "*Sob* Thank you foring for me..." Kyle heaved a sigh, and gently patted her back as thedy weakly pressed her face against his chest. This event was not supposed to happen in this manner, given Kyle has changed the pre-canon event in which ra got traumatized. However, he severely underestimated Ceaser¡ªand in the end, ra had to go through something so horrifying. To say Kyle wasn''t at fault would be a lie. He kept consoling her for some minutes, before he suddenly heard the faint footsteps of someone, approaching the staff room. Detaching ra from him, Kyle spoke in a serious manner while keeping his tone gentle, "I know this would be difficult for you but you need to take care of the situation, ra. Tell the headmaster about the incident¡ªhe would be able to investigate it thoroughly and you would be proven innocent. And even if some problems ur, don''t worry I will always be there to support you, okay?" ra didn''t want to get separated from him, but given the situation, she didn''t persist and softly nodded. Just as Kyle was about to get up and teleport, ra held his hand weakly and asked, "K-Kyle...you won''t abandon me right?" Kyle blew out a long breath, before he rested his hand on her head and while softly caressing her, he said, "No...I won''t." They remained watching each other for a moment or two before Kyle smiled at her and disappeared. ra remained silent for some moment before she turned her eyes toward the dead body of Ceaser. All of a sudden a long toothy smile extended her lips and while tilting her head she said, "Thank you for your assistance, Mister Ceaser. Now rest in peace~" ******* After returning from the staff room, Kyle stood outside the council office for some minutes. All of a sudden someone rushed toward the office and without knocking went inside. Kyle knew the news of Ceaser''s death must have spread already. He heard whispers arising from the inside and not so long after, the President along with several council members marched out of the council room. Kyle remained unmoved as he watched everyone go. His expression only shifted when he sensed her arrival. "You heard?" He asked her. tia narrowed her gaze to Kyle for some reason. The sudden news from the teacher''s staff room and Kyle''s absence couldn''t be rted, right? She inwardly wondered. She always keeps a close watch on him through her ''Eyes'' after what happened with Logan. That''s why she felt suspicious. However, tia decided to talk about itter. "I am free now. Let''s go back." Kyle nodded and began to follow hisdy to the dorm. There was a strange silence between them which was not pleasant, unlike usual. Kyle didn''t utter a word nor did tia ask him anything. They were just walking...and walking...then, ", I killed him." Her steps never halted nor did she say anything in response. However, Kyle knew she had heard him and understood what he meant. For the next few minutes, there was nothing that travelled between them except for silence. However, once they entered the house, tia spun on her feet and pinned Kyle against the wall. Kyle didn''t move nor show any sign of protest under those glowing eyes of the Princess. "I had my suspicion but you indeed are having an affair with Professor ra, no? I have seen her talking to you several times when I am not around." Kyle asked almost immediately, "Do you trust me?" "Yes, I do...but not all the women out there can snatch what''s mine. You have to remember Kyle, that you belong to me. You have said that your first love is me, then why do you need someone else?" Kyle knew her personality had changed and this possessiveness which originally Kyle should have, now tia possessed. Trying to say anything here would seem like he is trying to convince her. So he decided to reassure her. Cupping her cheeks he slowly connected his lips to hers and kissed her for a good half a minute. When he detached himself, she was panting a little and her face was dyed red. "You have been and always will be my first love. And no one in this world can change that. So stop worrying about trivial stuff and let''s go and eat something good." tia let go of him as Kyle walked further inside the house. She watched his distancing back with aplicated gaze as numerous thoughts overwhelmed her mind. ''In the end, I have to depend on ''that'' huh...'' ****** A/N:- Don''t ask me what ''that'' is. She is up to no good. Probably will do some crazy shit. The other one is crazy as well. Oh lord. Drop ament. Chapter 65- Suspicious Chapter 65- Suspicious [tia''s POV:] Kyle didn''t sound convincing. He was stealing his gaze and also unlike usual, he didn''t spend time assuring me that he would not look at someone else other than me. It made me anxious and annoyed. It has been so many years we have spent together that his slightiest of change in behavior doesn''t go unnoticed by me. And sometimes he forgets that I have these Eyes that allow me to see how much he loves me, but also, the lies he tells can''t remain hidden. When I looked at him previously while I confronted him, Kyle had a shade that said he was guilty and nervous. I have seen that shade before as well when I brought him back from his little venture through the very chains. Is there any connection between that event and this? Professor ra is a beautiful woman, I concur, and I have noticed that despite how much he seemed annoyed by her whenever she approached him, Kyle never told her explicitly to back away¡ªuntil some days ago that is. I thought that since Kyle had firmly rejected her approach and ra was also not trying to talk to him anymore, the matter was defused. But I was wrong. Kyle went to save her from the degenerate Professor named Ceaser. I know that there was some sort of connection between ra and Kyle, but never considered that for her, he would kill a Professor, no less. Kyle was a patient and tolerant man. Someone who has endured humiliation from my past self, I have to give him that. That''s why the fact that he killed Professor Ceaser, signifies that Kyle was upset....or to say, he must be really mad at the pervert to outright kill him. Now that makes my suspicion grow even stronger. That''s why I have decided to use aphrodisiacs tonight to lure him into my bed and solidify our rtionship. Yes, this was the correct thing to do. "Can you stop staring at me like I am a criminal?" While he was preparing food in the kitchen, he called out to me without removing his eyes from the pot. I didn''t remove my narrowed gaze from him before answering, "You indeed are guilty of something. I am just trying to discern what it is." Kyle let go of the spat and looked at me. He held sadness in his eyes and uncertainty. Turning off the burning stone, he walked out of the kitchen and approached me. I didn''t say a word when he held my hand and led me inside the bedroom. I would be lying to say that my heart didn''t begin to beat faster when he leaned down and his chiseled corbone came into my view. However, I hid my desires and followed his lead. He made me sit on the bed and sat down just beside me while holding my hand. He took his time and I didn''t urge him to speak. I wanted to hear what made him lie to me and what made him guilty. Let''s hear what connects Professor ra and Kyle. ****** [Kyle''s POV:] I had no other option. tia wouldn''t let go of this matter unless I didn''t give her a suitable reason for killing Ceaser. As such, I finally revealed it to her, "When I was training and traveling a year ago, I came across the town where Professor ra used to live. I didn''t know that she would be a Professor of this academy one day...at that time I just knew her as a helpful passerby since she helped me locate the adventurer''s guild." Taking a pause I added, "There was some sort of celebration going on that day in the town so I was invited. And since I couldn''t have left the town during the night, I decided to join in." My words held no uncertainty nor did I feel nervousness. If I did, she would know that I wasn''t telling her the whole truth. "There...I found something suspicious happening. ra was made to drink alcohol by a group of some men and since from the whole town, I only knew her, I decided to keep an eye on her for the time¡ª" "And you found that she was drugged and those men were nning on taking advantage of her. And then you saved her and she became infatuated with you, right?" My parted lips were sealed closed before I hesitantly nodded. Well, I know this sounds clich¨¦ but , you are also part of this clich¨¦ novel so don''tin. tia sighed after that and turned away from me to look forward. Silence befell in the room as neither of us said anything for a good five minutes. I could sense that tia wanted to say a lot but she was refraining from doing so. In the end, all she said was, "Kyle...if you want to see ra in this Academy then stop meeting her...and if you want her dead then try to have an affair with her." Her demeanor suggested certainty and I knew she would do something what she said. tia was not a little flower fairy who couldn''t murder someone if it was about the person she was attached to. The affection she carries for me scares me sometimes. But this stupid heart of mine loves her so much that apart from nodding I couldn''t do anything else. "...alright, I won''t meet her anymore. But once in a while, in your presence, can I check up on her if she is doing fine?" "Okay...but make sure to bring me with you." In an instant, her cold attitude disappeared as she spoke in a sweet honey tone. She clung to my arm and cutely smiled at me. Seriously...what did I do wrong which made her so different from her canon counterpart? ***** ra was ted. She was feeling such emotions that not even death could stop her from smiling at the moment. That''s why, even sitting before the Headmaster, she didn''t show the slightest nervousness. After the day fell, the investigation of the murder done in self-defence, concluded. The evidence and testimonies have already given their statements regarding the matter. The Headmaster sat on his seat while looking at the report of the investigation in silence. In the room, apart from the man, there was only ra present. The Headmaster of the Starfall Academy was one of the very few beings who can chant a Six-circle spell and he has participated in multiple wars in the past. Despite giving the offer to be a leading officer at the Magic Tower, he chose to continue his job as a teacher and further became the headmaster. If one has to describe the man in two words, then it would be: Strong and humble. He was greatly shocked by the news as such he didn''t think twice before taking the investigation into his own hands. Richard Frostwine was done assessing the report and turning his eyes toward the victim of this case. "Professor ra, I have read the report and I know, how did you end up like that in the staff room." ra didn''t show any reaction and allowed the man to continue, "While I know it might be difficult, I need you to answer some of my questions rted to what happened." ra nodded before the Headmaster forwarded a report at which ra faintly nced. It was the detailed report of Ceaser''s body condition when he was found dead. "It''s somewhat strange that after being taken captive into the other dimension, you were able to execute Professor Ceaser without any struggle. After all, there was not a single scratch on Ceaser''s dead body apart from that hairpin which was dug into his flesh." ra sobered up upon hearing the usation. It was clear that the Headmaster was suspicious of this matter. However, she couldn''t tell him that Ceaser was broken and healed twice before he was wiped off from existence. Leaning a little forward, she said, "As I have mentioned in the report, Headmaster, Professor Ceaser was torturing me and he crushed my ankle back then. Although I was shouting for help, my goal since the beginning was to kill him as soon as I got the time. And when he crouched, I didn''t miss the opportunity." "So you say that you took Ceaser by surprise and didn''t have to struggle against him?" For some reason, ra was feeling a bit nervous to nod her head at that, but in the end, she didn''t have any option. "Yes sir." The old man remained silent for some moments before he told her, "You can go now, Professor. If I find out anything I will contact you again." ra got up from her seat, and after bowing slightly she walked out of the office. The old man kept on looking at the door which closed after she went out. His gaze slightly narrowed as the man uttered under his breath, "There was definitely a third person with them." Looking at the list of people raes in regr contact with, other than during her sses, the Headmaster spoke, "I have just to keep an eye on her for the time being." ******* A/N:- Hmm~ Chapter 66- Excited Chapter 66- Excited "Professor ra!" While she was on her way to the staff room, ra heard a voice calling out for her. "Student Logan? Do you need something from me?" Turning towards the raven-haired student of hers, ra asked in her usual tone. Logan, who was breathing a little heavily since he ran all the way to the upper floor, halted before ra. Once he calmed down a bit, which didn''t take much long, he asked, "I heard about the incident...are you fine now?" Logan woke up today and heard the news of Ceaser''s death from his new deskmate. Upon hearing the news, Logan both felt agitated and worried. He had a good rtionship with Professor ra which is why he felt frustrated with himself that when this disaster befell her, he was lying in bed. ra''s expression turned a little bitter¡ªwell she had to look like that¡ªbefore she responded, "Well, I am doing fine. Thanks for asking." Seeing her weak smile, Logan felt his heart turning heavy. With his fist clenched and determination ring up in his eyes, he said, "If you need to talk to someone, then I am here, Professor." ra''s smile now became strained and her eyes turned crescent as she nodded stiffly, "Of course." What she didn''t notice nor did Logan was the prying eyes of a certain old man, who had been hearing their conversation since the beginning. ******* [In the Headmaster''s office.] The old man sighed and leaned back in his chair. He has been tracking ra since yesterday, from the moment she leaves her dorm to the point she returns home. And from what he has seen, the only person who held strong emotions toward ra was Logan. Not only has he been enquiring about ra''s case with many other students but he has shown disgust at the mention of Ceaser as well. ''But if he had been there with Professor ra in that dimension, then he wouldn''t¡ªhmm...'' Suddenly, the headmaster had a thought. The earlier conversation between Logan and ra. Could it be, that they are pretending to be like that? Could it be that Logan purposely spoke like he didn''t have any knowledge of the incident and only came to know through rumours? Because there was no one monitoring Logan in the infirmary when the incident urred in the staff room, elevates the Headmaster''s suspicion. There are a lot of things that dictate Logan''s involvement in this matter. And above all, his personal feelings for ra were a strong factor to note. ''This needs a thorough perusal...'' *Knock* Richard wasn''t expecting someone at this hour, however, upon hearing the voice of the person from the other side, he didn''t make them wait for long and said, "Come in." From the other side, a woman with grey short hair and ck eyes walked in. Despite being in herte forties she looked quite beautiful and her slim figure makes her one of the most attractive instructors in the Academy. Naturally, Richard didn''t show any reaction and invited thedy to sit down. "Norma, what can I do for you?" Richard asked since it wasn''t usual for the instructor to ask for a meeting with him¡ªespecially, without any prior notice. Norma remained silent and rather extended a file in Richard''s direction. Unsure, the old man took the file and raised his brows in surprise. "Norma...you do know we don''t ept any student past the enrollment deadline, right?" Richard asked, unsure why the instructor suddenly brought the portfolio of a student. Thedy leaned forward and rested her arms on the table. The expression on her face never wavered as she asked, "When was thest time you heard a sixteen-year-old girl, defeating a B-rank monster? And not one but a bunch of them?" Richard''s expression shifted from confusion to surprise, "Are you sure about what you are saying?" "Yes, I am, otherwise I wouldn''t havee to you." Richard removed his eyes from his employee and began to flip pages of the document he was given. He went through the documents and took his time to study the experience and skills the potential student possesses. After some careful contemtion, the white-haired man finally asked, "I want to meet this student. Today, if possible." Norma showed a rare smile before nodding, "I will bring her by three." ******** Nearly two on the clock, tia was allowed to leave the council office. Today there were only three sses that''s why tia was able to finish all her work for the week and leave the office without any pending work. Just as she got up, the redhead President called out, "You are heading back to the capital tomorrow, right?" There was no surprise that Isabe knew about it since the leave application tia submitted, clearly stated that she had to return home this weekend for some urgent work. Naturally, neither Isabe nor the Headmaster showed reluctance and immediately signed on the application. "Yes, I am. Do you want me to bring something for you, President?" tia asked¡ªin an unusually enthusiastic tone. The others were as shocked as Isabe. However, the President didn''t ask the reason for her excitement, but rather, brought up what she originally intended to let her know, "From next week, your practical sses will begin, as such, I would advise you to decide your team members as soon as you can." Not as the President but as a senior, Isabe suggested. The on-ground training of the students is a very crucial part of the tutge in this Academy. And to participate in the raids, one must have the assistance of their teammates. tia''s excitement didn''t subdue hearing that as she politely bowed and responded, "I will do as you suggest, President." Seeing the girl being so polite and acting so adorable, made Isabelle smile and urged her to pinch tia''s cheeks. But she restrained her desires and hummed in response. tia didn''t wait long in the council room before making her way out. And outside awaited the face that she could never get tired of gazing at. "Good work." Kyle took her bag and greeted hisdy. That soft smile on his face melted all her stress in an instant as with loose shoulders, she replied, "It was a long day...I want nothing more than a hug now." Seeing her extending her hands, Kyle panicked before he reminded the girl, "We are still in school and you still are a princess. Hold your horses, mydy." tia''s hands, which were extending for a hug, fell lifelessly as she gathered her lips in a pout and with a strong ''hmph'' began to walk away. Kyle low-key rejects her advances to see this childish side. But naturally, he wouldn''t tell her that. He also began to walk behind her as the duo left the main school building¡ªheading towards their love nest a.k.a dorm. tia didn''t chat with Kyle en route since in the academy she has to pretend to be the same tia which everyone knows. Showing over-familiarity with Kyle would create rumours and those rumours would reach the Capital in no time. Until ''that'' happens, tia doesn''t want her father to know about her rtionship with Kyle. So for now, she has to keep herself in check. While carrying her bag, Kyle silently walked behind her and thought about what he would prepare for lunch. Just as they were turning towards their left and entering the dorm section, a certain person passed by them¡ªand for some reason, Kyle found this scent quite familiar. However, just as he turned his head to look at the person, they disappeared. ''Strange...'' ******* A/N:- Ig everyone knows who this person could be. More drama? tia turning a full yan? What drama awaits in the capital? A lot to know. Drop ament. Chapter 67- Returning home Chapter 67- Returning home Three targets appeared. Logan flexed his wrist and in the next moment, the three targets were stabbed with small throwing knives. His aim was precise and the ferocity of his strike could easily prove lethal for his enemies. ''Yet...I was defeated by her...'' Logan has been training since the morning. He somehow couldn''t digest the fact that tia beat him in closebat. It wasn''t like he was being narcissistic or was underestimating tia, rather, he was shocked by the realisation that he never had a chance against her. She is a monster. Not only was her magic activation speed above some of the Professors but her physical strength was something to fear about. Logan deemed that she might have problems moving on the ice she had covered the whole arena in, that''s why his mid-air attack was perfect to throw her off bnce and im the victory. But he was utterly wrong and got mercilessly his ass handed to him. ''Fuuuu...'' Not good. He decided to not dwell in the depressing past and be better by training as hard as he could. For now, his major concern was his angelic awakening. Last time, when he was fighting a demonic boar back when he was still an adventurer, Logan was able to summon his wings and divine armour somehow. However, during the Academy assessment and also the battle against tia, Logan didn''t have any support from his heavenly side. If not for him being knowledgeable about some basic spells, then tia would have gotten done with him in the first few seconds of the duel. "Aren''t you overthinking things?" "Ah!" Suddenly, Logan yelped upon finding a familiar pink-haired girl standing there. "Oh hey, Sasha." Logan greeted the girl with whom he shares his desk in the ssroom. Sasha Crossford¡ªthe daughter of Viscount Albert Crossford is one of the noble entities in the Academy who, unlike others, doesn''t make him feel like he is inferior to her at all. Most of the nobles he hade across until now¡ªlike tia or that bastard who was tormenting his maid before the orientation ceremony¡ªheld a certain air about them which always made Logan cautious of his behaviour around them. However, Sasha was different. She is a very lively and helpful girl and someone who became his friend in no time. Logan waved at the silver-haired girl standing a few meters behind Sasha. In response, Elera nodded in acknowledgement. "Were you training?" Sasha asked the obvious as her eyes travelled towards the knife-stabbed targets. "Ah yeah...kinda bored since there are no sses today," Logan replied while rubbing the back of his head. Everyone was told to rx for the days since after the academy began it was the first day they were given a leave. However, being a battle enthusiast, he couldn''t lie on the bed. And especially not after what he faced during his first duel in this academy. "By the way, have you heard?" The way Sasha''s eyes sparkled, Logan detected that she had some hot news to share. Raising his brows he shook his head. Sasha drew closer and quietly said, "There is a student who has recently enrolled and seemed to have scored higher than Princess tia in the physical assessment." "----!" Logan''s eyes widened in shock. He had just settled down with the fact that he was the second strongest amongst his peers. However, there was one more. Suddenly, Sasha''s eyes grew wide in excitement as she signalled toward the entrance and said, "Talk about the devil." Logan hurriedly turned his head to look at the person. From her appearance, there was nothing that made him feel threatened but those emerald eyes....that held an emotion with which Logan was quite familiar. Determination. ******** [Kyle''s POV:] Since we could not teleport to the capital, we had no other option than to board the carriage and head towards the capital. Collen was waiting for us at the entrance of the academy along with several more soldiers and a carriage prepared for tia. Well, I would be travelling with her so it can be said that these whole preparations were done for us. "I hope you are doing fine, Your Highness." As we approached Collen bowed his head with his fist on his chest. "Yes, I am. Thanks for asking." tia has been so excited about this trip that she uncharacteristically responded to him¡ªmuch to Collen''s shock. As she boarded the carriage with my help, I patted themander''s shoulder and said, "You didn''t imagine it, Collen." "Heh? For real?" He asked me in pure disbelief. Well, this was to be expected since it was tia we were talking about. After I entered the carriage I did a quick checkup if there was something suspicious inside but thankfully there was nothing. The curtains were drawn and thefortable seats allowed me to rx a little. Naturally, tia didn''t miss the chance and cuddled close to me. Even though we spent every single day together and cuddled untilte at night, it was not enough for her. Well, not like I disliked it. "Finally, we got some time for ourselves." "*Chuckles* You speak like we have been involved in somebouring task." tia grumbled, "But wasn''t it? Like I knew the academy would be difficult but not in this sense." Yeah, well I knew it would be difficult for her. After all, aplete introvert and someone who prefers to remain isted, she doesn''t like to associate with many people. "You will get a hang of it in no time." I poked her spongy cheek as I said. She tried to bite my finger, but I was quick enough to retract my hand¡ªonly to find her looking at me with a pleading gaze. "*Sigh* Seriously....why do you like to bite me so much?" I have recently discovered that she liked things like biting and giving hickeys. The moment she finds me vulnerable, she attacks my neck or shoulder to leave her mark. ...sometimes I think she is a sadist by nature. However, looking at her childish smile when I allowed her to bite me, I disregarded such thoughts. The carriage continued to move at a moderate pace as we sat insidefortably. Some snacks were avable for us to enjoy in between but since the breakfast I made was hefty enough to do for the lunch as well, we didn''t really eat anything until noon. "Collen, can we take a break?" I asked him after peeking my head out of the window. "Is Your Highness feeling difort?" He asked in a slight panic. "Ah, no, she is actually half asleep. I thought that the soldiers might be tired." Collen looked around and was about to say something like ''They can walk all day without a problem'' However upon seeing their state, he hesitated. Since the summer was at its peak, the afternoon sun felt quite harsh that''s why I suggested. Since it would only take seven more hours to reach the Capital we weren''t in a rush, actually. "If Your Highness doesn''t have a problem, then let''s take a break." I felt several eyes of gratitude and appreciation directed at me. As I entered back inside the carriage I looked at the sleeping face of tia before helping her get morefortable on the seat. ''Sleep well...'' nting a soft kiss on her forehead I climbed out of the carriage to look around a bit. Surely there must be something interesting in the forest to pass the time, right? ******* A/N:- Nothing happened in this chapter, I know. But well, I need to build some side characters and give a regr perspective of the main character (Logan) from time to time as well. In the uing arc, he would be quite useful after all. Drop ament. Chapter 68- Slave Chapter 68- ve Around midnight, the carriage rolled past the entrance to the capital. The heart of administration and residence for major aristocrats, it was also the bustling trade hub and the most expensive ce to live. The Empire of Valenchide was famous for its trade. The soil of the numerous provinces is very fertile for staple farming and as such this Empire was also regarded as the food provider of the world. The Valenchide Empire prided itself on the prosperity and well-being of its citizens, highlighting their robust health and quality of life as a testament to the empire''s sess. Bolstered by a formidable army of strong and skilled soldiers, the empire stood as a formidable force in its region, known for its military prowess and defensive capabilities. And the person who sits at the top of the hierarchy and holds most of the authority in his hands was someone Kyle was going to meet today. To say he was just nervous would be an understatement. The Emperor didn''t have a good impression of Kyle and he had all the reasons for it. Not only was Kyle ipetent when he joined, but recently his beloved daughter has started to show strange traits after she started to spend more time with her butler¡ªKyle that is. That''s why, this meeting was going to be difficult and nerve-wracking for him. "You shouldn''t feel anxious when I am on your side." Hearing tia''s confidence statement, Kyle couldn''t help but chuckle, "Aren''t you giving yourself a little too much importance? I know that your family adores you but that wouldn''t stop them from using me. After all, I have adversely influenced their precious child." tia hit his arm with her small fist but there was no strength in it so all he felt was tickles. Grumbling she responded, "You are teasing me a lot these days," Crossing her arms on her chest haughtily she added, "Don''t forget, I am still a princess of this Empire. Be grateful you got to serve such a benevolentdy." Her expression demanded praise and worshipping. However, all she received from her rude butler was a snicker. With her arms crossed she puffed her cheeks until they turned red¡ªleaving Kyle with no other option than to yield, "Yes, yes, mydy is the most kind, sweet and beautifuldy. Happy now?" "Huhu~" She let out a sound of victory as her cheeks deted and she sat back down. Although it was around midnight the capital was still quite lively. As mentioned before, trade hubs were situated here so it was quite normal for consignments to arrive at an untimely hour. While they were talking, Kyle had his attention outside as well which allowed him to realise that the carriage hade to a halt for some reason. "Kyle?" Not hearing any response from him, she tilted her head. Kyle didn''t say anything to her and after sliding the curtain he was about to ask Collen what the matter was¡ªwhen suddenly, froze up. tia frowned seeing the sudden shift in his demeanor. She couldn''t sense any killing intent around her and from the loud noises from outside she deemed that there must be some sort of problem urring in the market that''s why the carriage came to a halt. However, Kyle''s palingplexion made her worried as she asked him in a quieter tone, "Kyle? What happened?" He didn''t reply. More like he couldn''t. From his expression, tia could discern that he was horrified by something. She has only seen this side of his when he was recovering from ''that'' trauma. Her heart began to knock heavily against her chest as she followed his line of sight and found the reason for his horror. ''Conven ve Market.'' tia''s eyes slightly widened before she hurriedly closed the curtain and broke his trance. That was...the ce where his parents left him. That was the ce where Kyle had spent some of his darkest days. The ce which seldom still haunts him at night. tia grabbed his shoulder and made him look at her. "A-...that..." "I know and I am sorry you have to see that ce once again." She inwardly cursed herself for not taking down this ce which had left such deep scars on her lover. But at that time she had different feelings for Kyle that''s why she didn''t take any major steps. However, now, she was well set on demolishing the ce to rubble. Cold sweat trickled down his head as he raised his trembling hand to wipe them¡ªonly to find his hand being held by tia. "Kyle, listen to me. I know you have suffered because of your parents but no one can touch you anymore. No one can bother you anymore. You are strong now...you have the strength to fight everyone who may try to bully you. And above all....you have me." Thest part came out with a choked sob. She couldn''t see him like this and despite trying her best to maintain aposed front, she couldn''t. Kyle suddenly took a deep breath and finally looked at her. His trembling hands slowly regained stability and his eyes regained rity. He cupped her cheek and looked into her moist eyes. The emotions in them, her familiar fragrance, this warmth...which only his could provide him with....yes, Kyle was no longer in that cage. He was free. He was with her. "...." Kyle whispered her name under aboured breath before embracing the girl tightly in his arms. "Yes...I am here. I am here." She whispered back and clung to him like he was thest nk of wood¡ªsaving her from drowning. The duo had developed such a deep dependency on each other that they could easily make the other anxious and troubled, yet they could only find sce in each other''s arms. "Are you okay now?" After they had embraced each other for a good minute, tia somehow collected herself and asked him in a sober tone. Kyle nodded as he slowly detached himself from her and said, "Sorry for scaring you. I didn''t think we would stop just outside that ce and I would suddenly get a seizure." Kyle chuckled near the end but tia didn''t share the amusement. She was worried about him. The things he has faced and the reasons behind them were both not justifiable. She was about to say something, when suddenly Collen''s voice reached them, "We have reached, Your Highness." Kyle took a deep breath before uttering under his breath, "Let''s go out. There is a chance that Prince Edmund might be waiting for you." Although she wanted to spend some more time with Kyle alone, knowing her brothers she decided to get out first or they mighte to check on them. With a disappointed look, she watched Kyle getting out of the carriage and opening the door for her. tia took his head and climbed down. They walked some steps towards the pce entrance when slowly both of them came to a gradual halt in shock. Kyle was only expecting her brother to be waiting for tia since it was already toote...however, their eyes were greeted by the whole family of the Princess¡ªwaiting for her with a smile on their faces. Kyle couldn''t help but gulp in slight nervousness at the reminder of how much they loved tia. ''I pray tia''s n works out....or I might...'' ******* A/N:- Hmm~What just happened at that moment would be retold from Kyle''s perspective. Drop ament. Chapter 69- Observation Chapter 69- Observation Kyle was...standing. Well, whenever tia has to join some official meeting or gathering he stands on her nk with a solemn expression as always. However, today he was having a hard time maintaining hisposed front. Kyle was being observed. The person observing him was not even trying to hide their hostility against him as they randomly threw their gazes in his direction and narrowed their eyes to announce how closely they were watching him. And for god sake, among the two who were observing him was the Emperor himself. There were currently five people, excluding tia and Kyle, in the reception area. The Emperor of the Valenchide Emperor¡ªConrad Triwin Valenchide has two wives. From each wife, he had two children. tia was the second daughter of the second Empress. Edmund and Edward were the children of the first Empress. And the only person who was not present here was tia''s biological brother. Truth be told, Kyle was thankful that he wasn''t here. ''That guy is too much to handle...'' Kyle sighed inside his heart. The stare of the Emperor and Edward was quite intense. Edmund also looked at him but he offered a gentle smile, unlike the other two males. "Your face is shining, Tia...it seems you are liking the new life at the Academy." The First Empress with blond hair and green eyes named¡ªNora Triwin Valenchide, asked the girl. "*Inhales deeply* My daughter wouldn''t like any life where her family-" "Yes, I quite like my life at the academy." The Emperor''s shoulders slumped hearing such a heartless response from his daughter. tia remained nonchnt like she didn''t notice her father''s dejection. "I hope she isn''t troubling you much, Kyle." This timedy Sophia¡ªtia''s mother¡ªcalled out with a pretty smile on her face. Kyle was about to humbly reply to her when suddenly, Edward spoke up, "As her servant, it''s his duty. There is nothing to thank him about." His stiff and cold voice pushed the reception into pin-drop silence. tia red at her brother which didn''t go unnoticed by the two olderdies and Edmund¡ªwho was trying to cool down the atmosphere but to no avail. The way Edward kept on staring at an unmoving Kyle was somehow funny for thetter. Regardless, since the Prince had said it, Kyle just followed, "Indeed, Your Majesty, I am fulfilling my duty as mydy'' butler and I feel blessed that I was given the role to serve her," Kyle responded without hesitation nor showed any sign of being offended. Compared to how much insult and harassment he had faced before he began serving tia, this much was nothing. "Now, now brother, why don''t we let them rest for now? They have travelled a long distance." Edmund suggested since the route of this conversation looked thorny and Edmund didn''t want to see his sister fighting with her brother just after she arrived. "I agree. They need to rest." Sophia followed and Nora assented with a quick nod. Kyle was unmoving but he was nodding his head inwardly as well. As soon as this interrogation ends, he will be able to breathe properly. "Come, Tia, I will take you to your room." Without getting his father''s consent¡ªwho seemed to be wanting to chat even more¡ªEdmund got up and urged tia. tia said good night to everyone before she followed her brother and Kyle just behind her. Once they left, Sophia and Nora turned towards their husband with a troubled look before the former said, "My lord, you need to stop intimidating Kyle." Nora followed, "Yes. He is just like our child. Not only was Kyle there for Tia during her childhood phase when no one approached her, but he now is taking care of our beloved in the Academy as well." "Anyone would have done that if I hired them to." The Emperor''s stern response greatly shocked the two Empresses. Edward rified, "Mother, Lady Sophia, Tia''s growing closeness to Kyle is the reason why father is being so cautious." Sophia frowned before asking her son, "What growing closeness? They have always been like this." Edmund shook his head before he asked, "Have you ever seen tia showcasing anger when we questioned Kyle in the past?" This time Nora frowned, "I never saw her disying anger tho..." The eldest prince replied while pointing toward their front, "I guess you should be a little aware of your surroundings Mother." Both Empresses shared a look before they turned to look at the seat which tia was upying previously¡ªonly to gasp in shock. "Oh my..." "Did tia..." The throne which the Princess acquired previously was now coated inside a thickyer of ice¡ªsignifying what turbulence of emotions the Princess must have gone through. There was no denying it now. tia''s rtionship with Kyle was something they needed to be concerned about. ********** "Don''t mind them, Kyle. You know that every father bes a little over-protective when it''s about their daughter." While they were on the way to tia''s room, Edmund tried to ease the mood. Well, the person he was trying to cool down wasn''t Kyle...rather it was his sister who seemed to be far more agitated than Kyle could ever be. "I didn''t mind, Your Highness. Right...?" tiapletely ignored her excessively kind and forgiving butler and maintained a frosty expression. Edmund looked troubled and wanted to say something to soothe her down¡ªbut Kyle shook his head and signalled while patting his chest, that he would take care of this matter. Edmund smiled helplessly at him as the Prince patted Kyle''s shoulder and thanked him with his eyes. "Okay then, I would be retiring to my room. If you need anything...." Before Edmund could have finished saying good night, tia walked inside her room and closed the door¡ªleaving the two men outside. Edmund tearfully looked at Kyle and asked, "Why does she seem so angry with me?" Kyle helplesslyforted the Prince, "She is just tired, Your Highness. Please don''t worry about it. Tomorrow, she wille to greet you in the morning with a smile on her face." "Tia will?" Edmund''s expression brightened and those sparkling eyes nearly blinded Kyle as he hurriedly nodded. Edmund''s sadness disappeared before he thanked Kyle and without much dy, he hopped away. Wait, isn''t that inappropriate for a prince? Regardless, Kyle didn''t focus on that anymore and knocked on the door, "...he has left. Can you let me in?" "No, I won''t." Her response was quick and given how clearly he heard her voice meant she was sitting just behind the door. Kyle felt trouble in his heart seeing her behaviour as he pressed his hands on the door and asked in a quieter tone, "If you would react in such a way just because they said something to me...then how would you handle what we have to face tomorrow?" "..." No response came from the other side which signified that Kyle had pushed her to contemte. "Can you please let me in? I want to see you, ...like right now? Am I not allowed to?" He remained standing for some seconds before the doors opened from the inside and a frowning princess emerged from the other side. "You can''t just suddenly start acting cute to get past my anger." Kyle grinned hearing her forced threatening voice which seemed more adorable than intimidating. He rested his hands on her shoulder and nodded like a fool, "I know but I can''t help it. If my act can allow me to see this beautiful face, then I would shamelessly repeat my action again and again." "///" "She hid her feverish face with her hands, however, those burning ears couldn''t hide her embarrassment. Kyle was about to remove her hands and continue to flirt with her when suddenly they heard a voice that neither of them wanted to hear, "Oho~what do we have here~¡± Chapter 70- The test~1 Chapter 70- The test~1 Two things one should be aware of about the youngest Prince. He is the strongest sibling and one of the strongest people who have ever been born in the royal lineage. And second: he is very protective of his sister. "So what did you say about yourself? A butler right?" The man who goes by the name¡ªAiden Triwin Valenchide was currently upying the seat across Kyle and tia. While Kyle knew that it wasn''t true, he couldn''t help but feel a set ofrge threatening eyes looking at him from behind and a moment of mistake could cost him his life. The short blond-haired prince had a very nonchnt demeanor around him like he wasn''t the same person who ughtered a family at the age of seven. Not only has he seen blood and killed people, but Aiden often goes on missions assigned by the Emperor to keep himself busy. Canonically, Aiden never helped Logan since he always med thetter for stealing his sister. But if Aiden had, then the war would have been wrapped up in a day. And that entity to hold such great strength, was currently directing hostility towards Kyle. Kyle remained silent and nodded in assent. The Prince hummed before he turned his eyes toward his sister and with a smile, he asked, "Sis....how long will you hate me if I identally kill him?" tia''s gaze, which has never wavered from disying indifference, grew sharper as she clearly stated, "I will die with him." "Wooh~scary sis. I was just joking, why so serious?" ''No, you weren''t...'' Kyle muttered inwardly. He was feeling the Prince''s killing intent when he raised the query and if tia didn''t have been quick, then who knows what this half-crack human might have done. "Brother Aiden, do you care about your sister?" tia suddenly raised the query which made Aiden tilt his head, "Yep. Is there any doubt in that?" "Then...can you promise me one thing?" This was probably the first time after years since tia had talked so nicely to him. After Aiden ughtered that family, whose son bullied tia in school, she usually ignored him because she didn''t want him to take such a brute step. That''s why, being asked so nicely by his sister caught Aiden by surprise and his indifferent facade crumbled a bit, "Y-Yeah, what is it? You know I can do anything for you, right?" Kyle actually admired how much tia was pampered and loved by her brothers. But naturally, he didn''t share his thoughts and remained standing silently. tia raised her hand and held Kyle''s before she asked, "In the future if some problem arises...then would youe to help us?" She put some pressure on thest word so he won''t misunderstand. And as she expected Aiden didn''t miss it, "You do realize what you are implying by your words, right? Tia....you are really involved with him romantically." The pressure on Kyle''s shoulder increased to the point his legs were shaking. He has never felt someone with such a domineering presence that even the slightest fluctuation of his emotions could inflict such pressure. Under his tyrannical re, tia maintained a soft gaze and stated without showing any hesitation, "Yes, I am, brother. And just like me, you have to protect Kyle from now on as well. Promise me." If Kyle could, he would have stopped tia from saying such things all of a sudden to that person who must have been thest one to know about it. Suddenly, the pressure from Kyle elevated and the Prince got up from his seat, "I need to talk to him for a moment before I can promise you." As he buttoned his waistcoat he looked at Kyle and shared his intention. tia anxiously nced at Kyle and was about to shake her head in denial, only to stop upon finding Kyle''s hand on her shoulder. He gave her an assuring look which seemed to say, ''Let me handle this.'' tia didn''t have any other choice than to nod. She knew if things came down to it, Kyle wouldn''t hesitate to use his Cursed Dolls. And for assurance, she and Kyle were tied in a very bond as well, so any danger in his life would alert her. Suddenly Kyle felt someone ring at him and without looking up he knew the reason was Aiden''s displeasure so he removed his hand from tia''s shoulder and asked the Royal Highness, "Shall we depart, Your Highness?" "We shall." His stern response made tia giggle but that smile wouldn''t melt Aiden''s heart! He would test this guy before giving his eptance. ******* Kyle walked. Aiden walked. They walked. Utter silence. The full moon hung in the night like a pretty flower beautifying the whole sky. The garden in the back was surrounded by soldiers just like any other side, but they made not a single movement to let their presence disturb the two individuals. Although they had been walking for the past five minutes, it didn''t mean they were going around in a circle. Aiden was leading Kyle to somewhere. Just like any other pce, there was one back route present through which they walked by. If Kyle had been alone then the soldiers would have stopped him from proceeding from this gate. However, Aiden''s presence was like an all-entry card that could allow him to go anywhere he desired. After exiting the pce there was a jungle trail which led to the city borders if followed cautiously. This route was made to escape if the situation arose, however, neither was there any war ongoing nor were they following the trail that led to the borders. Aiden led him inside the small forest which was present only on this side of the capital. There were no wild beasts here but only those which were kept under the Emperor''s orders. Aiden had a clear destination in mind that''s why he never seemed double-minded about the turns he took. Kyle naturally followed him without asking anything. He sensed that there was some kind of test awaiting him at the end of this journey. Or maybe Aiden was going to extra lengths to try and kill Kyle anyway? He was prepared for both. "We are here." Finally, they came to a halt before nothing particr. Just like everywhere there were trees and silence here as well¡ªuntil Aiden didn''t raise his hand, and along with the gesture, a bunch of leaves scattered on the ground, lifted¡ªrevealing a small hole carved in the ground. Kyle raised his brows since he had never heard of something like this here nor had he heard from tia. "You know what''s in there?" Aiden asked; his voice strangely ominous. With a frown, Kyle shook his head. A smirk danced across the blond one''s lips as he whispered, "There is a cursed pond in there that can kill anyone who lies." Kyle turned to look at the Prince before asking, "And...Your Highness wants me to dip in that and answer your questions?" "Yeeeep~you scared?" In response to that, Kyle didn''t say anything rather he began to unbutton his shirt. Aiden stifled augh before he jumped inside while calling out, "Don''t run away~" Kyle was done undressing and was narrowed down in his shorts before he tied his long hair and also jumped inside. His eyes widened upon finding such a wide space present under the ground. The whole ce looked like a broken and not well-maintained poolside. He controlled his body weight and after spinning in the air, hended perfectly in the water pool. *Dhwap* For a moment when his body went inside the pond, his eyes caught a horrifying scene. There were skeletons of human beings inside...and not one or two but hundreds in number. It was like the whole base of the pond wasyered with bones. "Pwah!" He immediately got his head above the water and found Aiden seated on a throne he made out of stones. "This ce is where I bring the criminals to torture them. In that pond, the more you lie the more it would hurt, so choose your words carefully, bud." With a grin that showed his sharp canine, Aiden stated. The Prince was expecting some hesitation at this point. After all, who would be willing to go through something like this just because they love a girl? And Aiden expected Kyle to surrender now, which would have been so helpful for him. But, "I am prepared for your questions." With an unwavering look, Kyle responded. Aiden hid his annoyance pretty well, before, with his eyes turning serious, he began, "Very well then..." ********** A/N:- Sis-con. Chapter 71- The test~2 Chapter 71- The test~2 Kyle never heard anything about this pond of truth. Neither he heard about it when he was in the capital nor did he read anything about this in the novel. However, seeing those skeletons inside the pond, he knew this was the real deal. Although he couldn''t feel magic from the water¡ªgiven he was non-awakened¡ªhowever, there was something about it which gave him an ominous vibe. However, if there was something he was sure of was the fact that he could and would answer all the questions Aiden had in store. "So...Mr. Butler, tell me something." The man rested his leg on the handle of the throne, letting it dangle as he asked, "Are you a virgin?" The question wasn''t being asked in the context of knowing whether Kyle had any previous experience. Aiden was determining here if Kyle hadid his hands on his precious sister. This question was very vital. Kyle could already feel the hands of the Prince moving weirdly¡ªsignifying that he might use some spells if Kyle nods here. However, "Yes, I am." His response brought no pain and the way Aiden''s shoulders rxed told Kyle that his answer was eptable. "Okay now....tell me if you have ever ki-" "Wait, hold on a second. Why are you prying into our lives when you should be asking something else?" Kyle interjected¡ªevidently notfortable being asked about his personal life with tia. No one should pry in their life, not even her brother. "Why? Just why are you trying to skip the question? You are trying to hide something?!" The rocks around the Prince''s throne began to levitate, showing his agitation. However, Kyle didn''t show any nervousness and while staring at the man he simply uttered, "Forget about me, if I were to tell tia what kind of questions you asked me...do you think she would ever talk to you again?" The best weapon against sis-co brothers is to bring their sister into conversation and threaten them using her. Kyle had no other option. This person didn''t know the meaning of ''privacy''. *Dhak* The small boulders dropped to the ground as Aiden narrowed his eyes at the bastard of a butler. "You are one cheeky asshol-" "*Cough*" Kyle coughed to interrupt his cussing. Aiden leaned back on his throne crossed his arms and thought for a moment. Kyle was feeling a little cold in the water and the smell wasn''t that good....or to say, it was awful. Like weeks-old rotten fish. "Okay, tell me, are you in a rtionship with someone else?" "No." "You intend to be?" Without a moment of hesitation, Kyle responded, "No." "What about a mistress?" "Never had I felt nor I will ever feel the necessity of having another partner. tia is all I need." "You speak her name too casually!" "I apologize." The conversation went through several phases and ended on a polite note. Kyle and Aiden both knew that the former was in a rtionship with the girl, but being an over-protective brother as Aiden was, Kyle expected much. There was a brief silence that befell the dested space. The reason was Aiden''s need to contemte and choose the right question so no loopholes could be left. (A/N:- When asking questions in a context where uracy is vital, like a polygraph test, the skill needed is the ability to ask precise questions. This prevents the respondent from giving truthful yet evasive answers.) "In a situation where tia''s life and a hundred people''s lives are on line, who would you save?" Aiden has seen many fools in the past who can let their beloved die for ''the greater good''. They carry the philosophy that saving tens of lives is always more important than saving one. However, Aiden didn''t hold such a thought process, and luckily¡ª "I would choose tia over any numbers." ¡ªthe butler seemed to be on the same wavelength as Aiden. Aiden didn''t have anything more to ensure. He didn''t believe in things like social differences and what people might say. What he actually cares about and was determined to make it possible, was the thing which makes his sister happy. And if her happiness lies in Kyle, then so be it. He was about to tell Kyle to get out of the pond since the test was over, however, he suddenly had a thought. "There is onest question I want to ask." Kyle nodded without showing reluctance as he remained standing in the middle of the pool. However, his nonchnt attitude took a turn when he heard the Royal Highness'' next question, "Are you a Dark magic user?" Rumours were circting in the council that there was someone close to a very important member of the Royal family who might be a Curse magic user. The reason why Kyle originally was invited was to ascertain whether the rumours were actually credible. However, Aiden didn''t mind it. Even if a person bes a dark magic user, he doesn''t give a single shit about it unless they are willing to hurt the people Aiden keeps close to his heart. If Kyle was a dark mage then so be it. Until he could use his powers for tia''s betterment and to keep her safe, Aiden was content with it. However, naturally, Kyle wasn''t aware of his inner thoughts nor did he have any way of knowing what was Aiden''s perspective toward Dark mages. In the story, Aiden is one of the least-written characters. He was like that deterrent that could have overwhelmed any side he joined but he never showed up at the right time. As such, under the clouds of uncertainty, Kyle chose to say, "I would like to skip this one." A moment of silence followed by a heartyugh from the Prince. He held his stomach and in between chuckles he said, "Y-you are really something else...the Kyle I remembered was not this amusing...ha." Kyle couldn''t discern from which angle was he amusing. All he did was to answer the question honestly. But well, it was all good until this man didn''t start shooting spells. "You cane out now." With a swing of his hand, Aiden brought Kyle''s clothes from the ground as the silver-haired teenager climbed out of the pond. While Kyle was drying his body with his handkerchief, Aiden remained standing. Amidst the growing silence, which subtly got disturbed because of the rustling of clothes, Aiden''s voice resonated again, "Tournament of Champions, have you heard about it?" Kyle turned to look at the Prince with a perplexed look before nodding. The Tournament is famous across the continents since every Empire send its best seven warriors topete there and the winner receives some benefits and the winning Empire gets leeway of tax on trade. Although it would be a great contest between the elites and a good chance of developing one''s skills, Kyle couldn''t simply participate in it. After all, from the perspective of the world, he was still a non-awakened. Regardless of what Kyle thought, Aiden stepped toward him before resting his hand on his shoulder and with a gentle squeeze he said, "Win that tournament and I will help you get the status of a noble." Kyle''s eyes parted wide in surprise. He could have never thought that the intention behind mentioning the world tournament was to get Kyle a title of his own. Even if it was the world championship it doesn''t mean it was easy for one to be an actual ranked noble in any Empire; especially such a prominent and rich one like Valenchide. "Your Highness...are you intending to help me get married-" "Ugh! Don''t say it, you moron! I will start to think about it!" Aiden grumbled however it was a fact that the intention behind getting Kyle a noble rank was to have him get married to tia without any obstruction. A soft smile bloomed on his charming face, as the butler bowed and sincerely said, "I will do my best...brother." The moment Kyle lifted his head Aiden was no longer there. But that doesn''t matter. Thanks to him, now Kyle has a chance ofwfully getting wedded to the girl he loves. ********** A/N:- Aiden; the wingman. Chapter 72- Accusation Chapter 72- usation The next morning, Kyle was tending to his duties by reporting to his mistress before she woke up and helping her get out of bed and get ready. tia washes her hair thoroughly alternatively, and the rest days she stream washes her hair. Normal bathing doesn''t require it, but when she uses steam, her hair needs to bepletely straight. That''s whybing bes necessary. "What did he askst night?" tia, with her eyes half closed, asked him as Kyle softly brushed her golden mane like it was nothing less than a treasure. Last night it was already quitete when Kyle returned from the forest so he just informed tia that everything was fine before retiring to the servant''s quarter. Naturally, she was interested to hear what happened and whether she could rely on Aiden if things went unpredictably in the future. She trusted her brothers, but not when Kyle was involved. "He asked me those questions which can give him the confidence that I would never leave your side," Kyle spoke with a soft smile which didn''t show exhaustion or sleepiness like her. He didn''t disclose the initial questions which Aiden presented regarding their personal life or tia might have actually crossed her brother''s name from the list of trustable people. Just like him, she didn''t want her personal life to be known by anyone else. Kyle also hid the world championship talks he had with Aiden, for the time being. Nothing was set in stone so making her worried in advance was not preferable. "Kyle...I am feeling nervous about what we have to face today." The only person she could share her actual feelings with, without fear of getting mocked since she was a princess, was him. Kyle was not just her lover but also a reliable childhood friend to whom she confided in all her worries. Kyle''s expression remained unchanged as he held her soft andfortable-to-touch hair in his hand and ran the brush downwards. ", we talked about this, right? If things go awry, we will just elope." Leaning towards her he looked at the girl in the eyes through the mirror. A hint of teasing in his tone as he asked, "Or are you no longer willing to spend your life with me while being a fugitive?" "Believe it or not Kyle, I still perceive that option to be best for us. There are so many obstacles waiting for us that it always makes me feel like living as a Princess, worthless." Her words were heartfelt. She said what she always felt. The things that separate her and Kyle are unnecessary and if removing them seems so daunting, then she better choose the path of a coward and run away with him. Kyle, truth be told, didn''t have a problem. The War of Deities can be handled if he trains in secrecy and lets the Protagonist do his work. His feelings for the girl were also straight and simple; he didn''t want to get separated from her. However, more than anyone, Kyle knows how much tia adores her family. And that''s why he didn''t want to live in guilt of detaching the girl from her beloved people even if she looked ready to run away with him. Rubbing her head softly, he smiled at her in assurance before saying, "Don''t worry; everything will go fine today. I promise you." However, as much as he assures her, or how much she tries to convince her heart both of them know, that today is going to be challenging for them. ***************** The court was partially filled with the people whom the Emperor allowed to be here today. Not every member of the council or ministers were invited. The Prime Minister, Finance Minister and the head of the Royal Order along with some other important individuals were present. On the left side were the two eldest Princes¡ªEdward and Edmund. As usual, Aiden didn''t report to the court since he didn''t deem these things to be important or suitable for him. The Emperor sat on the throne while his wives were on the right, hidden behind a translucent floral patterned curtain. tia was with them but unlike the Empresses, she didn''t wear a smile and looked solemn. The one who knelt in the court and paid respect to the elders and the Emperor was Kyle. The Prime Minister rose from his seat while holding a scroll in his hand and after sharing a nod with the Majesty, he finally began to address the court, "Attention, esteemed members of the court. It is with great honour that I will address you today. Our noble butler, Kyle, who serves the Princess with unparalleled dedication and excellence, has been recognized for his exemry performance. The Emperor himself has expressed his desire to reward Kyle for his unwaveringmitment and service. Let us allmend Kyle for his outstanding contributions." The Prime Minister''s words were heard and a smile was shared between Edmund and the two Empresses. tia remained unwavering. "As per what was promised, I-" "Wait a minute, Sir Prime Minister." The first Prince suddenly interrupted the speech which was moving toward the announcement of the rewards which Kyle would be receiving. Kyle''s shoulders tensed but he didn''t show any visible reaction and allowed the Prince to continue, "Before we move onto the ceremony I would like to confirm something from Kyle." The person left his throne and walked towards the Prime Minister. Naturally, thetter didn''t show much of a reaction since he was aware of what this was about. The Prime Minister nodded before he shared a nce with Edward and walked back to his designated seat. "Kyle, you may stand up." Themand was followed and the butler, dressed in a white suit, got up on his feet. There was a silence that briefly descended upon the courtroom. The Emperor never raised his voice in support or protest of this sudden interruption¡ªclearly aware of the matter. The wait didn''tst long before a man from behind the curtains walked towards the Prince and with a respectful bow he handed Edward a scroll. The Prince read, "Ten months ago, on the day of the full moon, a man was caught venturing in the unmonitored forest of Belur and showed some unique skills which only an element specialist could possess." With his gaze turning chilling frosty, Edward looked at the butler before adding, "And from my sources, your namees up." "What are you trying to prove here?" The irritable voice of the Princess resonated across the hall but she was shushed down by the supreme authority, "Don''t interject when your brother is talking, tia." The Emperor steeled his heart and harshly scolded his precious daughter. tia''s expression worsened but for now, she decided to remain silent. Edmund looked ufortable and seemed like he wanted to say something but after hearing his father, his motives were shredded. The two Empresses looked at tia in concern but showed no sign of interfering. "I supposed there has been some misunderstanding, Your Highness. I am non-awakened so using Elemental magic is out of my capabilities." "That''s what you say, but I am not obliged to believe a mere butler, am I?" Edward''s word made tia''s hand clutch the cushion and frost began to form around her. But she held it in. She had to endure. On the other hand, Kyle didn''t show any sign of being offended and remained silent. Edward crossed his hand behind his back before calling out, "Come out now." From the shadows, a person appeared kneeling before the Prince who, by appearance, seemed like a spy. "Whatever you saw that day, report," Edwardmanded. The shrouded figure, in a tone that could be heard by everyone in the courtroom, stated, "As my lordmanded, I was investigating and surveilling Butler Kyle closely. The day when Your Highness Prince Edmund departed from Belur, I witnessed Kyle going through several books in the mansion''s library. The book he settled for was a directory of past experiments of those beings who carried Cursed Energy and were infused with Angelic blood." Many people in the courtroom gasped including the Empresses. The previous usation of Edward suggested that Kyle was involved with Cursed Energy to ovee his weakness as a non-awakened. And now, after hearing the spy''s words, things became even more concrete. "You may go now," Edwardmanded before the spy dissolved in the shadows and disappeared. The look on Kyle''s face was no longer the same. He was genuinely shocked to realize that someone could go past his guard and spy on him. Edward smirked at that reaction before turning towards his father, "Your Majesty, after Edmund disclosed the reward you might be granting that butler, he became frightened since wielding that armour requires the ingestion of Angelic Blood." Redirecting his eyes toward Kyle, the Prince added, "And this sphemous being knew he would be dead if he consumed the sacred blood without knowing what consequences he might have to face." A brief and heavy silence enshrouded the courtroom before the Prince officially announced, "I, Edward Triwin Valenchide, indict the servant named Kyle of being involved with the Dark side. I request a thorough investigation on the matter and proper punishment if found guilty." ******** A/N:- Oh lord, how far can they go? Gah, the next chapter is gonna be one hell of a drama fest. Drop ament. Chapter 73- Examination Chapter 73- Examination tia knew this wasing. Kyle had already told her that her family would never allow him to get close to her, especially after what happened with Edmund. Her obsession with Kyle became a reason for her family to be wary of Kyle. And wariness has brought them to the point where Kyle is being branded as a criminal. Unforgivable. "Do you have anything to say, alleged?" The heavy voice of the Emperor resonated in the courtroom as he used the man who was supposed to be rewarded today and not get charged with a crime. "I want to say something here." tia got up and left her throne before proceeding toward her lover. "tia, you sit down. This doesn''t concern the Princess." Hearing Edward''s words her anger elevated. With her eyes turning frosty she looked at the person and unhesitatingly stated, "This indeed concerns the Princess, after all, you are ming my servant. And as his mistress, I trust him more than anyone, so I must perform my role as his ally, no?" Her wordless battle of stare continued with Edward for a moment before she turned towards the Supreme Authority, and said, "You won''t believe Kyle just because he is nothing but a butler in your eyes, but I am your daughter and the Princess of this Empire...can''t you even trust me?" Those words made the Emperor feel troubled in his heart. It has been so long since he saw his daughter and when she returned she was forced to fight against her family to support her butler. The Butler...no, if things continued like this then that day wouldn''t be far away when tia might end up abandoning her family for him. He couldn''t allow that to happen. "Eyes can be fooled, Princess. Your statement doesn''t prove his innocence. There has to be an examination to prove his innocence." The Emperor voiced; against tia''s ims. tia''s expression showed that she couldn''t believe what her father said. The Emperor''s heart nearly moved to see how badly hurt she seemed. However, to stop him from taking a wrong decision, Edward spoke up once again, "You are brainwashed by him, tia. You can''t see things from our perspective." Her expression once again shifted from disbelief to anger as she directed her sharp gaze at Edward¡ªmaking thetter flinch. With her voice turning strained she replied to the oh-so-brilliant-Prince, "I am not being brainwashed, Prince Edward, you all are being blinded by hatred just because Kyle has be close to him. You and the Emperor just couldn''t see someone caring for me. All you two want is for me to remain alone for the rest of my life!" "tia....what are you saying...." Edmund''s eyes turned moist hearing that and for a moment, Edward''s expression softened as well. There were tears in the eyes of the two Empresses while the Emperor sat in silence with a whirlwind of emotions ring up in his heart. The courtroom fell under profound silence after that, which was broken by tia''s following words, "I, tia Triwin Valenchide, dere Kyle as an innocent individual. If the Supreme Authority decides to still examine him, then at the insult of not being held credible, I would let go of my title as the Princess-" "tia." Before anyone else could have reacted, suddenly Kyle held her hand from behind and stopped her. tia turned to look at him with her gaze softening. The agitation seemed to have melted the moment she directed her gaze at him. Kyle slowly shook his head in her direction, clearly asking her to not go that far. tia softly nodded¡ªmuch to Edward and his father''s shock¡ªbefore Kyle stepped forward and conveyed, "I apologize for my impertinence, my lord, but I assure you, mydy will not forsake her title. Please proceed with the examination." His words reached everyone present inside the court and this time tia didn''t raise her voice in protest even though she seemed reluctant. Edward didn''t like the fact that Kyle had such an overwhelming influence on his sister, which made this examination even more desirable. Sharing a nce with the Emperor, Edward called out, "Bring it." A butler appeared from behind the curtains while holding a tray, on which a ss jar rested and the content inside of the jar was visible for everyone to gaze at. Blood. The thick red liquid inside the container was undoubtedly blood. And for those who are aware of the subject rting to Dark Mages, it wouldn''t be too difficult for them to discern whose blood it could be. "This blood is taken from a Divine Awakened this morning just to test whether Butler Kyle is indeed innocent as he ims to be...or-" Edward halted his words upon finding tia''s re in his direction. He coughed in his fist before ordering the butler to pour some blood in a small ss. Kyle stepped forward but paused when tia reluctantly held his hand. The tears that built in her eyes made many of the people around them; emotional. However, the suspicion arose along with emotions that if Kyle is indeed not guilty then why tia was reacting in such a way? Kyle directed a soft smile of assurance in her direction before he gently removed her hand and stepped forward. The Prince was holding the wine ss in his hand as he closely watched the Butler. Kyle silently stood there with his eyes on the ground to show his respect before finally the ss was extended in his direction. ''Come on...now show your true colours...'' Edward believed that either Kyle would create some circumstances through tia which could hinder this examination or he would try to escape. Although the first option was negated by the butler himself, the second option was still open. However, Edward has already positioned the Royal Order all around the pce and the court. If Kyle decides to flee then it would be his worst mistake. Kyle held the wine ss in his hand for a moment, contemting something with clear tension on his face. Edward smirked and scoffed, "What happened? Are you-" But his mocking was short-lived as suddenly Kyle raised his hand and began to gulp down the divine blood with big gulps. *Ghurg* *Ghurg* His eyes were closed and sweat trickled down his body as he forcibly pushed down the human fluid. Under everyone''s shocked expression, Kyle finally drank all the blood...and in the next moment, *Thud* He copsed. ************* A/N:- *Ahem* They are good actors ig? Chapter 74- Rage Chapter 74- Rage [Inside Kyle''s sub-consciousness] ''Where am I...?'' Last time he was in a void with nothing to gaze at, however, this time he was able to see something. He was able to see....a small nt. The nt had no distinctive feature that could have made him realise its name or from what family it belongs. Just Kyle hung there in the middle of nowhere and the nt''s pattern was carved out of golden orbs¡ªmaking it look like a constetion. There were many stars in this space however, only one constetion he could see. And that nt was currently moving. There were two kinds of orbs¡ªwhite and golden. Those which were not in the constetion were white. Currently, the nt is in the process of bringing a set of stars to spread its branches. It felt like he was hanging in aarium, watching the stars in the highest quality with a VR. However, he very well knew that all of this was real. ''What is this....is this rted to me?'' He could see three leaves already extended in different directions and now a fourth one was being connected to it. Kyle didn''t have any control over his body, as such he could only wait for the orbs to get connected and another petal could be part of the nt. And until then, all he could do was wait. ************ [In the courtroom] tia was crouching beside Kyle while the others looked at them with varying gazes. Edmund couldn''t believe what he was looking at. He could see that there was clear evidence of Kyle being a Dark Mage but he still couldn''t register itpletely. The Emperor and the first Prince had an indifferent look on their faces since they expected it. The evidence clearly showed that Kyle was involved with Cursed Magic and as such, this conclusion was inevitable. Now their sole duty was tofort tia and make her forget about Kyle. The Emperor had even decided her fianc¨¦ would be able tofort the princess at her low time. The Empresses were devastated to see their daughter being in such a condition. However, under their husband''s wordlessmand, they didn''t reach out to her. Edward shared a nce with his father, before stepping forward and speaking up, "I or father or anyone else in the family would never do anything to harm you, Tia-" *p* The hand which was about to touch her shoulder was pped away¡ªstartling Edward and making the Emperor''s eyes widen. ming red eyes that contained nothing but anger were directed at the first Prince. That expression was not something anyone in the family had ever seen in tia. She was not angry, she was beyond furious. There was a sudden snapping sound and her heavenly wings suddenly appeared. Each feather seemed to shimmer with an ethereal glow, casting a radiant halo around her. The wings were vast and imposing, their pristine whiteness stark against the dark surroundings. They stretched out with a powerful, intimidating grace, each movement apanied by a deep, resonant flutter. The air around her crackled with energy, the sheer presence of the wings demanding awe and reverence, as if she were a celestial being descended from the heavens. One could tell just by being present there that the air in the courtroom had turned heavy. The soldiers were on guard¡ªready to act the moment the Princess showed any sign of an aggressive approach toward the Emperor or the Prince. Edward''s face was marred with a frown as he stared at his sister in an alert manner. Her demeanour oozed with danger and her eyes betrayed any faith he had that she wouldn''t harm him out of familial passion. "You have hurt him...." Her eyes werepletely covered in blood. The traces of her usual bright violet eyes were gone. All one could look at was an enraged goddess. *Crack* The floor of the pce cracked under the sheer force she was radiating. The Commander signalled and the guards were already circling the Princess. However, the moment their spears reached her¡ªtheir body was frozen solid. The group of elite soldiers died under the unconscious assault of the Heavenly Being. "You....hurt...him..." Her voice contained the fury which Edward had caused. The blond Prince was now feeling nervous. But not for his life but rather, for tia. Everyone who knows about Divine Awakened knows how many problems they have to face every time they awaken their heavenlyponent. "Tia...please listen to me. Everything I did was to protect you." There haven''t been many urrences when Edward sounded this helpless and looked so anxious. One could tell just by looking at him how much grief he was feeling looking at his sister right now. "Protect...protect....protect....NOW PROTECT YOURSELF!" Her loud yell ovepped with the booming sound that arrived as sheunched herself forward¡ªaiming for Edward. The blond Prince closed his eyes and was ready to ept the fate his sister had decided for him. The two Empresses yelled out for tia and Edmund was already off his throne to pull away his elder brother. However, the distance was far too much for him to reach there. Edward awaited whatever punishment his Tia had in store...however, even after waiting for a few seconds...nothing happened. Opening his eyes he found a back facing him and a familiar face currently shielding him. "Aiden?" Edward couldn''t believe that his youngest brother actually bothered to arrive here and save him. Aiden raised his hand and his psychokinesis was holding tia in one ce. He didn''t look like he was struggling but in reality, he felt like he was holding against three giant ogres at once. "Seriously, how messed can you be to turn our sister like this?" His voice didn''t only hold mockery but frustration as well. Seeing tia like this was something that broke Aiden''s heart. Thinking back, he was regretting not being here since the beginning. Gaining no reply from Edward, Aiden scoffed and focused on his sister. Her mind was clustered with thoughts and each one of them was quite disturbing. He prated through her mental defences and telepathically told her, [He is alive.] "----!!" The voice she heard instantly froze her body and her eyes went round. She spun on her feet and looked at Kyle who still was lying on the ground. However, faintly, she could hear his breath and his fingers were trembling slightly as well. He was alive. He was alive!! ************ A/N:- This was not in their n, I assure you. But thankfully there was someone to handle tia or the whole roya l family would have met their end today. Goddamn, how would she react to Kyle having a harem.... Chapter 75- Compensation Chapter 75- Compensation The performance went haywire, the moment Kyle fell down. He and tia assumed that once he had gotten the confirmation of being a hybrid, it wouldn''t be a problem for him to give the assessment of being innocent in front of the others. However, they made the severe mistake of miscalcting the risk of consuming divine blood. And as a result, tia was inches away from murdering her own family. The time Kyle woke up, he found tia in a distraught state. Although he didn''t witness her wings and those blood-red eyes, the way her face was ghastly pale signified she had overly consumed her energy. If you pay attention to a person most of the time of their day, then you will notice such small changes in them. The courtroom remained silent except for the slow whispers of the medic who checked upon Edward, tia and Kyle. After the medic confirmed that there was nothing wrong with Kyle except for his slightly high blood pressure, the assessment concluded. And Kyle was proven to be innocent. However, the shock of being attacked by his sister and seeing tia in such a state was shocking enough to not get any reaction towards Kyle''s awakening. They sat on their throne with a listless expressions except for Aiden¡ªwho was enjoying eating berries with a nonchnt attitude. The first one to break the silence was tia, who still stood in the middle of the court with Kyle beside her. The look in her eyes clearly told how hostile and hateful she was towards the Emperor and the first Prince, especially thetter. "Have you done humiliating me and Kyle? Then I would like to bid my farewell. And please, unless there''s an emergency, don''t think I would be responding to any of your summons any more." She stated those words with utmost sincerity since she meant what she said. The clear meaning behind her words was that she was severing ties with her family. "tia, wait!" Edward panicked and so did the Emperor however the one who called out was Edmund. She wasn''t willing to listen, however, feeling Kyle''s hand squeezing hers, she yielded and turned to look at him. Edmund took a few steps and began, "I won''t say things like whatever happened until now was justifiable and necessary, however for you to abandon the family would be unfair to our mothers and me." Although there were no tears in his eyes, one could tell just by listening to his voice how emotional he currently was. Gesturing toward the two Empresses who were still in tears, he added, "Are you really willing to separate yourself from them just because of someone else''s wrong decision? You know that they didn''t have any authority to stop what was transpiring in the court right?" tia knew. Her mothers weren''t given the power to interrupt the Emperor especially not when the subject was tia''s safety. However, "What about you? Why didn''t youe forward and protest against the examination?" A self-mocking smile extended Edmund''s lips as he uttered, "If I had been regarded with such importance that my word could have changed Father''s decision, then trust me, I would have been the first person to voice my opposition." The Emperor''s expression remained unchanged as he heard Edmund''s words. It wasn''t a hidden fact that Edmund wasn''t involved in important meetings and his opinion wasn''t taken while making vital decisions. tia narrowed her eyes and extended her other hand before saying, "Thene with me and leave this ce where your words don''t hold a speck of importance." Her offer was extended towards Edmund however her eyes were transfixed sternly at the man sitting on the throne. "No one would be going anywhere." Suddenly the man who had spoken very little since the beginning and the person with the utmost authority in the room spoke up. The heavy voice of the Emperor sounded like amand which one couldn''t defy. However, it didn''t affect tia who still seemed quite adamant about leaving. "I ept that there has been misjudgement on our part but that doesn''t allow you to leave the family, Princess." Domineeringly, he stated, "We have wronged the butler and for that, I am prepared topensate." "Oh, really? And for what would youpensate, father? For the humiliation Kyle faced, the pain he suffered from, or the fact that a father couldn''t trust his own child?" In this world, only two people could talk so daringly with the Emperor. And one of them was quite furious right now. It was then, when suddenly Aiden called out, "Sis, is there any way to gain your forgiveness? Just tell them before our old man gets a stroke or something." "Aiden!" Edmund reprimanded his younger brother for saying something so rashly however, Aiden showed no sign of being affected. Edward finally got out of his reverie as he also asked; this time in a far softer tone, "If there is anything I can do to gain your forgiveness...please tell me." The people have only seen the calcting and indifferent side of Edward, that''s why this helpless state greatly surprised the ministers. However, none of them could understand the love he carries for his sister. Kyle had a feeling that things had escted beyond his expectations so he softly whispered to tia, "Don''t resist anymore...please." Hearing his soft plea, the words she was about to say, melted in her throat and the next time she parted her lips, the boulder from Edward''s shoulders; lifted. "I can forget about what happened today...if only Kyle gets permission to enter the Vault and take one thing from inside." Her demand created a ruckus in the court. The ministers began to whisper to each other and their source of distress was undoubtedly rted to what tia wished. There was a dy and the response that arrived from the Emperor was unexpected, "If you are willing to forgive your brother for what happened today and continue your duties as the Princess then, I shall grant your wish." Suddenly themotion grew and the Prime Minister rose from his seat before hurriedly stating, "But Your Majesty...we are talking about the central vault. There are several secret weapons and important documents inside there which could easily be used against Valenchide." Everyone present here was aware of the risk of letting an unauthorised member enter the Vault. Only the first Prince, the Prime Minister and the Emperor have ever entered the Vault. And now, a mere butler was getting permission to not only walk inside but take an item to his liking as well. Outrageous! However, the Emperor''s decision was ultimate that''s why he didn''t think twice before dering, "My decision is final. No further argument would be tolerated." Themanding voice of the Emperor resonated heavily across the court and everyone, including the Prime Minister, quieted down. tia gave a soft squeeze to his hand and smirked at his dumbfounded expression. She said that she would taking a favour from her father. She never mentioned the Vault at all! ********* A/N:- Ah...well. She is clever? Chapter 76- Monster Chapter 76- Monster So, what did tia have in mind that she proposed to let Kyle explore the vault in exchange for her forgiveness? A long time ago, when she was only four years old, a war was going on. Naturally, she wasn''t involved in it however, she had grown enough to listen and remember things which she deemed important. One of those days, when her father used to remain concerned all the time, he was spending time with her mother. tia was also there. They thought she was ying with cards and wasn''t paying attention to them, but in actuality, her whole focus was on what her father said. The situation of their defense and how likely the Emperor himself has to participate in the war. It was then, that she heard a term which highly intrigued her. A treasure that was kept in the vault and only the Emperor of each generation could utilize it. One of the rarest items that many people are not even aware of. The droplet of revival. ***** It was decided that along with the mythical armor, which originally was decided to be rewarded, Kyle would get the opportunity to explore the vault and take one item to his liking. This was absurd. In the canon, even Logan wasn''t allowed to go inside, despite the world being surrounded by mayhem at that time. It was an absolute rule that other than the royalties and the Prime Minister no one can enter the Vault regardless of their rank and position. The safety system of the vault would immediately expel any intruder. And that rigid rule was broken because of the affection of a father towards his daughter. ''Now they hate me even more...great...'' Feeling the hostility from the Emperor and Edward, Kyle couldn''t help but sigh. He was currently being apanied by tia and Edmund on either side and the previously mentioned hostile entities along with the Prime Minister were walking a few meters ahead. Their feet were heading toward the inner pce where no one was allowed to venture¡ªunless they were being escorted by the Emperor himself. "Kyle, you do know what you have to pick from there right?" Hearing her soft whisper Kyle couldn''t help but feel a little nervous. The moment she uttered ''droplet'' he knew this girl was up to no good. The droplet of rebirth? The resurrection tool which allows the person to escape their death? Certainly, such a tool holds a lot of importance and it wasn''t something a mere butler like him should be dreaming of. However, tia has given him ''that'' look which says, ''I would be mad with you for life if you don''t take that out''. Naturally, she was looking out for him but still, retrieving the Empire''s greatest treasure like this felt unsettling. ''Well, since this is for my own good, I shouldn''t be fussy about it....'' Kyle convinced himself. His reputation has already gone down the drain, so why not he could be a little selfish and let them hate him more? "We are here," Edmund called out in a quiet tone before tia and Kyle tore their eyes away from each other and looked toward their front. Therge several-foot-tall golden doors of the vault stood across them¡ªreleasing an intimidating aura. Even without having the gift of aura, Kyle could feel that there was something ominous about this ce. Canonically, this ce wasn''t explored by the Protagonist so Kyle doesn''t know what awaits inside. The Emperor moved forward and drew a dagger before grazing his thumb and nting it over the orb affixed to the massive door. He drew a pattern over it, and in the next moment, the ground began to rumble. Kyle supported tia and Edmund who both were about to fall while keeping his eyes constant on the massive doors. The soldiers who were with the Emperor suddenly turned away from the vault¡ªafter receiving word from the Prime Minister. ''Are they not even allowed to see what''s inside?'' Kyle wondered. The Emperor looked over his shoulder before Kyle nodded and walked forward. Under the intense gaze of the Prime Minister, he walked towards the Emperor and stood in front of him. The blond man looked at Kyle with his gaze narrowed before he took off a ring from his index finger gave it to Kyle, and said, "Keep this with you all the time when you are inside." His voice was stern and held a sense of warning which urged Kyle to diligently nod. He looked at tia who was also looking at him. They shared a nce that only the two could understand before Kyle turned to look at the vault. Taking a deep breath, he clenched the ring and walked inside. ********* [Back in the academy] The investigation of Professor Ceaser''s death was reaching no conclusive point¡ªmuch to ra''s relief. She wouldn''t mind getting punished for the murder but she didn''t want Kyle''s name to get involved in this. ''Haaah....even though you promised...'' Thinking about Kyle she couldn''t help but heave a sigh. She recently discovered that the person she yearned for and dreamt of was also in the same Academy as hers. She wished that now they could share a hidden and forbidden rtionship between a student and teacher while doing things in secrecy and getting all lovey-dovey behind everyone''s back. However, she was being too hopeful. The vulgar thoughts she had required her to first make Kyle fall for her. She knew that he cared about her...but it wasn''t enough for him to be desperate for her. ''Princess is an absolute obstacle...'' She couldn''t help but feel a little exasperated thinking about the girl who clings to Kyle all the time. ra envies her more than the crow envies the cuckoo. "Professor ra." Her train of thought broke upon hearing a familiar voice calling out for her. She turned around to find it was the familiar ck-haired individual named Logan who had been one of the most polite and diligent children in her ss. "How can I help you?" ra asked politely. Logan blushed slightly, being directed with such a radiant smile as, momentarily, he forgot what he approached her for. However, he soon collected his thoughts and asked thedy, "Ma''am, can you allow me to have a spar with a fellow freshman?" Hearing his words, ra tilted her head. Not because she was confused about his approach¡ªthe Professors can authorize a spar between students under their supervision¡ªshe was confused about why he would ask her for permission. "In my opinion, Professor Noel would be preferable for this matter, no?" The headbat instructor was the one who mostly facilitated the spars between students. Logan wryly smiled at that and said, "He said I would be folded in two if I tried fighting her." ra''s brows elevated as she asked, "tia?" Logan felt bitter that not only that girl but even tia was rumored to be strong enough to brutally beat him. However, he didn''t show displeasure since he indeed had lost to the Princess. Shaking his head, he told ra, "The new student who goes by the name Charlotte. Can you help me spar against her? No teacher is allowing anyone to go against her from the first year. She only trains against third year or the instructors themselves." ra chuckled hearing his pitiful voice as she asked him, "Come with me. I will show you why she isn''t allowed to fight with freshmen." Logan mindlessly nodded and began to follow ra. They walked towards the indoor arena where no freshmen were allowed after school. However, because of Professor ra''s presence, the guard didn''t stop Logan and they entered inside. The moment he stepped in, a violent force repelled him¡ªurging him to cover his face and stabilize his feet or he might get swept away by the fierce aura. Once the current passed by, Logan slowly parted his eyes and looked at the arena. "Hell no....." Laid inside the ring were several upperssmen¡ªbeaten ck and blue while breathing heavily. Logan knew some of them since they were ced in the leaderboard top twenty. And currently, all of them were lying half-dead on the ground. Amidst the defeated ones stood the person Logan was eager to battle. Her lithe figure was adorned with some injuries¡ªenhancing her beauty by several folds. Her eyes remained emotionless like she couldn''t feel the tion of defeating so many young warriors all by herself. She was like a lone warrior; standing at the pinnacle. Logan was looking at the brown-haired girl with his lips parted in shock when he heard ra''s amused whisper, "Do you still want to fight that monster?" *********** A/N:- A broken character entered the academy. tia...? Will you be alright now? Well, yandere''s passion will help her. But what about Charlotte? What''s her personality now? And most importantly; how will Kyle react to all this? Drop ament if you are excited. Chapter 77- Forgive me Chapter 77- Forgive me The moment Kyle stepped inside the Vault, he knew the importance of the ring which the Emperor handed him. Just at the entrance, there was arge three-headed hound, who was chained with something unknown and was staring at Kyle with their red eyes. The beast was at least twenty feet tall and had sharp fangs peeking out their maw. Their strong muscles and keen senses allowed Kyle to discern the chance of his survival if they chose to attack him. ''I am using Teleportation if they begin to move...'' Kyle was well set on revealing his secret if things came down to it. Since dying inside this vault by those strong jaws was thest thing he envisioned. But, much to his relief, the three-headed beast never moved its body from its resting position and just stared at Kyle with their blood-thirsty red eyes. Kyle slowly moved toward the inside with ''Beta'' tightly clutched in his hold. He was walking sideways while facing the Kerberos. Finally, after reaching a decent distance from the entrance and that beast, Kyle heaved a big sigh of relief and gazed at the treasury for the first time. The ce was huge. His eyes couldn''t reach the end of the vault. It seemed like he had dove into the sea of treasure but only had a pouch to carry out the coins. There were several pedestals stationed in organized rows and columns and every pedestal had a panel which contained the name and basic property of the treasure which rested on it. Kyle was told by tia to grab the Droplet of Resurrection, which was actually two in number and was one of the greatest blessings that the Empire possessed. During times of war, if a chance arrives where the Emperor has to fight in the war himself, they utilize this artefact to return from death and continue their reign. Naturally, there were secondary ns and armies prepared as well, in case the Emperor dies in the battlefield andes back to life. However, Kyle''s attention wasn''t on how things happened in the past and how the Valenchide Emperor got a hold of such an invaluable treasure. He was here to retrieve what he deemed extremely crucial for the battle he and this world had to face. The Great War. Strolling through the vault with steady strides, Kyle found his eyesnding on several mouth-watering artefacts. Like the Ring of Obliteration which allows the user to disintegrate someone or something from a long distance without even having visuals. Then there was Elven Eye which allows the user to surveince a long distance without getting noticed at all. Such relics could be so vital and beneficial in a battle... Unfortunately, Kyle wasn''t the Prince of Valenchide but served the Princess here. Getting to see these many valuables was a miracle in itself. ''Hmm?'' Suddenly he felt something reflecting light on him when he passed by a specific spot. He returned to that position and looked at the source of reflection¡ªonly to locate the treasure he was looking for. Levitating above a golden cauldron was the pearl-shaped and almost transparent droplet. Kyle neared his destination and turned to his left to find an identical droplet hanging there as well. He extended his hand toward the pearl...only to pause just inches away from it. If he grabbed this, then his rtionship with the royal family, especially the Emperor and the first Prince, would be worse, and they might be even more distrustful. There was a chance of beingbelled as a traitor for choosing the greatest treasure since the Droplet of Resurrection was stored at such a ce where normally one couldn''t reach unless they knew what they were looking for. So there was a chance for them to discover that tia had sold the secrets of her family under Kyle''s influence. ''Fuck...why am I overthinking this?'' He hase too far to care about such things. Exhaling a long breath, he finally grabbed the droplet and soon after, he walked out. ********* [Some minutes ago] Outside the vault, the family of four were standing but none of them were talking to each other. The Prime Minister never intended to interfere in the family matter, knowing extremely well how devastating it could be if he said anything carelessly. Edmund was standing beside his sister but he also didn''t know what he should say to soothe her spoiled mood. Things have gonepletely off track today, to the point where Edmund also didn''t know what he should apologize for or for whom. It was then that Edmund saw his elder brother approaching them, ringing an rm in Edmund''s head as he stepped forward to cover tia behind him and asked Edward, "Did you need something, brother?" "Ed, move aside." Edward straightforwardly stated; much to elevate Edmund''s anxiety. However, he didn''t persist for long and got into his previous position¡ªleaving an angered sister and a helpless brother face-to-face. Edward''s gaze softened when in front of his sister. She was so adorable and still so young that Edward always thought to keep her here in the pce. The outside world was too cruel for his little Tia. However, he couldn''t neglect the fact that she was grown enough to make her life decisions and trying to keep her away from the world might make things worse between them. Returning to the present, he softly asked, "You won''t be forgiving me anytime soon, right?" Edward asked with a helpless smile on his face and hands connected behind his back. tia remained silent, feeling it was unnecessary to respond. Edward heaved a sigh of helplessness. He could argue with politicians and foreign delicacies without breaking a sweat. Face demons higher than his ranks without fearing for a single moment. However, in front of her, he bes all hopeless. "Tia....maybe one day when you be a mother you would understand, under what circumstances we had to take such extreme steps." Hearing those words tia''s gaze sharpened as she parted her lips and talked back, "I never said that your suspicion on Kyle was unwarranted....what actually hurt me was the way you guys treat him." With her voice growing dimmer she added, "I respected your judgement. I always admired how you dealt with things...but I guess my perception was short-sighted." Her words stabbed him in the heart and made his shoulders heavy. He was no longer looking at her but looking down in guilt and regret. Blinded by the rage that Kyle has stolen his sister away, he took some of the stupidest decisions today...and now... "The vault is opening." Hearing the Prime Minister''s words, everyone turned to look towards the vault, including tia. Edward also slowly turned to see what Kyle had obtained from inside¡ªonly to find his eyes stretched to their maximum range and his mind turning numb. Everyone fell into silence seeing that crystal in Kyle''s hand. The Droplet of Resurrection¡ªa treasure about which only a few knew about and had no information provided inside the vault. Under everyone''s shocked gaze, Kyle could only see a single person smiling at him contently. Looking at their reaction he couldn''t help but utter under his breath, ''Talk about making an impression on my inws...'' ******** A/N:- This arc concludes here...I want to give the siblings a few chapter, but dunno if people liking this arc. I probably will write a side chapter for it. Drop somements. Chapter 78- Approval Chapter 78- Approval The carriage was prepared and the two individuals who would be travelling back to the Academy were getting ready to depart. Sitting in her room, tia was being helped by her butler to get her hair done while she happily sat in front of the mirror. Kyle was braiding her hair as he asked, "Are you sure it would be appropriate to leave now? Things have be quiteplicated yesterday." Kyle couldn''t help but feel a little troubled in his heart. Yesterday, after he picked the Pearl of Resurrection, the first one to fly into rage was the Prime Minister. The greatest treasure of the Empire was at stake after all. However, the Emperor didn''t say anything¡ªfor some unknown reason¡ªnor did the first Prince. As such, it was settled that along with the legendary armour, Kyle would be allowed to take the Droplet as well. In the pce, the news has travelled that Kyle has taken an invaluable item, which was of national importance. As such, the animosity against him from the officials has elevated. "You are thinking about this a lot. We shouldn''t care about others'' sentiments; we should care only about each other''s opinions, and from my perspective, you did the right thing." tia spoke those words with utmost certainty since not even once had she thought anything less than the Droplet to be worthy of Kyle. From that moment, when her teacher (the Sage) warned tia about the future Kyle might have to face, the Princess decided to somehow get Kyle this artefact. And finally, now, she has seeded. *Knock* Hearing the knock, Kyle allowed tia''s beautiful braided hair to fall down her shoulder, before he went to open the door. Outside, the two Empresses stood with a soft smile on their faces. "Can we talk to Tia for a moment?" Kyle didn''t think twice before bowing his head and excusing himself. Nora stepped in, followed by Sophia, as they saw their daughter sitting near the dressing mirror while looking nothing less than a beautiful doll. Their heart melted at how adorable she looked as the twodies advanced toward her and praised the girl, "Indeed you have be quite pretty in these few months." Nora spoke with fondness leaking in her tone. tia didn''t show wariness towards her mothers since they always treated Kyle well and they never had any role in the examination as well. She smiled in contentment and said, "Kyle takes good care of me." Sophia giggled and said, "That...I could tell. That boy is so diligent in serving you that I sometimes couldn''t believe that he is the same person who used to cry andin all the time around you." Thinking about their past tia also chuckled. tia used to say pretty mean and straightforward things, and at that time, the proud son of the Count didn''t like to be insulted at all. However, he couldn''t do anything to tia as well, which only elevated his frustration, and in the end, Kyle often returned home in tears. The atmosphere became harmonious as the group of three undeniably breathtaking beauties sat together and reminisced. As the conversation mutually came to a halt, Sophia uttered a question about which she was pondering for a while now, "Tia...I understand that your bond with Kyle has strengthened in these months, but is it just friendship between you two?" The question made tia slightly nervous. Maybe after hearing that Kyle and tia have already graduated from being just friends, her mothers might frown on letting Kyle be her attendant. After all, tia was a princess whose servant should surely not have any feelings for her other than servitude. The best choice would have been to lie here, but, "We like each other and have confirmed each other''s feelings." tia, with her eyes fallen to her knees, confessed. She knew that her mothers would convey this to her father....but she didn''t want to lie about her rtionship with Kyle out of fear of being opposed. She thought that the twodies would try to convince her to let go of this rtionship for her own good, but all tia heard was soft giggles from them¡ªurging the youngest one in the room to look up at them. And as she just thought, they were smiling teasingly at her. "As I thought, my daughter has a liking towards gentlemen. That''s why she waited for Kyle to change himself before falling for him." "Right? He has be both handsome and mature now. No wonder my sweet little girl fell for his charms." tia''s face began to turn red as she stuttered, "W-What are you two saying?" She expected a reaction, but not this one. Sophia crouched to level her face with her daughter before embracing the little girl from behind and whispering sweetly, "We never were against your rtionship with Kyle since having someone who understands you and cares for you, is the best partner we could have ever hoped for." "Indeed. Kyle is not only well-mannered and someone who has grown up with you, but he very well understands you and guides you when needed. " Nora added. "But mother, mom, Father will never agree." Her eyes trembled as she turned to look at them with a pleading face. Truth be told, she knew that the two Empresses were helpless in this situation as well, and looking at their troubled expressions, she knew that expecting any support from them would be unfair to them. However, she never expected that her mothers would break out of their shells and say, "We won''t be able to convince our lord. However, we can surely dy your betrothal, right?" Sophia nodded and said, "Yes, we can do that. In a few months, you would be sixteen, and at that time, your father would urge you to get engaged. We would just not let that perfect match appear for a loooong time." tia looked at her mothers with a helpless smile with slight moisture umting in her eyes. She couldn''t believe how different their perception was toward tia''s rtionship with Kyle inparison to her father and brothers. Having their support made her feel like she had crossed a very big obstacle, and the weight from her shoulder had been lifted. Holding their hands, tia got up before she wordlessly stepped forward and embraced the twodies. Nora and Sophia nced at each other with a smile on their faces as they also hugged their daughter back. Some emotions cannot be expressed in words. And currently, tia was feeling such emotions. She felt happy. *********** Outside the room, Kyle smiled with his shoulders evidently rxing. It was then that he sensed a presence approaching. "Your Highness." He greeted the first Prince with a slight bow of his head. Edward stood before Kyle with his arms linked behind his back and no emotions evident on his face. Once Kyle looked up, Edward asked, "I have always felt jealous of you. After all, even though I am her brother I never got to see her real side. She smiled only in front of you and that made me feel like you are stealing away what should have been mine." Kyle, for once, wanted to ask if the Prince was mentally stable. Which brother could have such intense feelings for his sister...but well, he was ranked as the number one sis-con in the novel, so this much was to be expected. Remaining silent would make things awkward so Kyle spoke up, and this time, he raised his head to look Edward in the eye, "Your Highness, perhaps you should see tia not as a delicate ss doll but as a responsible princess. I know you care for her deeply, but your overprotectiveness makes her feel as though she isn''t trusted enough." Those words were voiced out with all certainty since, at this point, no one knew tia better than Kyle. Edward remained silent, but deep within, he noted every word that Kyle spoke and contemted it deeply. Suddenly, he turned away from Kyle, intending to leave, only to pause for a moment and speak in a heavier tone, "Take care of her. If anything happens to Tia, I will be your death." Kyle smiled helplessly as he uttered under his breath, "Tsundere until the end." ************* A/N:- Ah yeah, the family arc concludes. I hope this will allow the readers to know what to expect from these characters in the future. We are heading to a major arc with romance, drama and action filled with it. Seriously, the yandere action would be quite dramatic this time. Drop ament. Don''t be shy, and drop one. Chapter 79- Returned Chapter 79- Returned "But how did this happen?" There was a sense of agitation in his voice, as the security chief of the Starfall Academy made his way towards the records office where the information regarding each student was kept. The subordinate, who brought the information to the chief, sweated profusely. While wiping his bald head, the subordinate responded, "The security guards weren''t sleeping. They did see a figure enshrouded in ck, however, before they could ask the intruder anything, they were struck with something hard and blunt." "And those ss dolls fainted?" Hearing the sharp snarl of the chief, the bald man felt shivering all across his body in fear. The incident urredst night when someone invaded the records room and stole information regarding some individuals. The records room was also, naturally, under the security of the security chief assigned by the capital to keep the Academy and the data they possessed, safe. And now, under their nose, someone stole such vital information regarding some of the students...wait, The security chief turned toward the man beside him before halting and asking in a dreadful voice, "Please tell me that Princess tia wasn''t the one whose information was leaked." There was evident stress and trepidation in the chief''s voice when he asked that. If the information regarding the princess gets stolen, then forget about the job, and the chief might lose his life. However, much to the chief''s relief, the bald man shook his head before telling him, "No, sir. The file of Your Highness wasn''t touched...however," "However?!" The chief widened in eyes and pressed forward The other one became even more nervous however, despite in a stuttering voice, he finished what he intended to say, "The file of Your Highness'' butler was stolen. And not only him, every student and servant who goes by the name ''Kyle'' has been stolen." The chief''s eyes narrowed in suspicion as he contemted the matter closely and a littleposedly now that the Princess was no longer in danger(?). After a brief pause, he asked, "Who is the most important Kyle we should be concerned about?" The bald subordinate didn''t think much before responding, "There are four Kyle in total: two servants and two nobles. The servant of Your Highness and the one serving Stephen Williams. And the other two are Viscount Jones'' son and Baron Willson''s child." There was a frown on the chief''s face as he asked, "Student Stephen Williams is Your Highness Princess tia''s current butler''s brother, right?" "That''s right, sir. Count William lost his title some years ago, but thanks to his service in the trading field, he was able to build himself a reputation and retain his surname. Stephen Williams is Count Williams''s first child, while Butler Kyle is Stephen''s younger brother." The chief hummed, "Is it just a coincidence that the big brother has a butler of the same name as his younger brother? Was it some kind of family feud which urged someone to steal information?" Turning towards his subordinate, hemanded, "Investigate Stephen Williams and Princess'' Butler for me." The bald one replied instantly, "On it, captain!" *************** tia and Kyle were back in the academy but since they returned by afternoon, tia decided to start sses from tomorrow. She had the permission of the headmaster so there was no point in worrying. The trip back to the academy was quite uneventful; however, looking at the content smile she wore, Kyle was relieved that she enjoyed the journey. He was currently kneeling before his mistress to help her remove her boots. Although she was a warrior, it wasn''t surprising for her to be tired after such a long journey. And since they took only a single break on the return trip, it bes even more justifiable why her eyes were half closed, and she was barely holding herself from falling into a slumber. Kyle slowly removed her boots before getting up and scooping hisdy in his arms fluently. He had done it a couple of times, so he knew where to ce his hands, even with his eyes closed, tofortably pick up the feather-weight girl. Seriously, he wonders where all the meat she eats goes..... "Where are you staring at..." tia grinned to find Kyle''s eyes suddenly moving toward her breasts, but she didn''t hide it; rather, she snuggled closer to let him feel them a bit. She was hoping for a reaction, but as expected of her lover, who was currently in his butler mode, he didn''t react at all. After putting her down on the bed, he extended his hand behind her head and was about to pull the ribbon tying her hair¡ªonly to find his hand being held by her as she whined, "You said I look pretty with my hair tied." She was resistant to letting go of the look which her loverplimented. She wanted to look like this for the rest of her life! Kyle softly smiled at her antics as he pulled the ribbon and allowed her silky hair to fall down like the sunrays of early morning. Softly he whispered after seeing her pout, "You always look adorable in my eyes, regardless of how you style your hair." He can''t let her sleep like this, or her hair would start falling, and she would cry. That''s why he had to take extra care of her hair. tia stopped pouting, and while holding his hand, shey down on the bed. "In exchange for not listening to your mistress, you have to sleep together with me tonight." Kyle smiled fondly at that. He was not letting that offer slip. However, before that, he excused himself and made some lie that he had to see if he had brought everything from the capital. He didn''t want to make her worried. "Sure...but don''t take too long~" Kyle made his way out of the room and directly walked out of the dorm. He had a feeling that someone had been watching them since earlier when they entered the academy. He didn''t see tia reacting, so he assumed that this might be him being over-cautious. However, he didn''t take a chance and utilized Beta to check his surroundings. He searched everywhere around him but couldn''t find anything or anyone that could be regarded as suspicious. ''I must be tired...'' With those thoughts, Kyle decides to head back into the bed and hold his lover to sleep. What he failed to notice was the figure of a woman sitting on top of the cottage with a crazed smile on her face. Her legs were dangling down while she merrily watched Kyle searching, only to fail in the end. Holding the fragment of a wooden mask near her chest , she whispered under her breath, "Found you." ****************** A/N:- Run. Chapter 80- Sick?! Chapter 80- Sick?! There was something strange about today. tia had noticed that people were talking, but she wasn''t at the centre of their attention. Well, she was relieved that people had stopped making rumours about her, but she couldn''t help but feel a little curious about how this strange anomaly arrived after tia left for her home. Even during pre-homeroom reporting at the Student Council, the President asked tia if she had met the new student. The President looked quite excited by the thought of recruiting the new student as a disciplinary officer. tia wondered if this new person was really that strong to arouse so many conversations. However, she didn''t ask many questions and after finishing the report, she made her way to the ssroom. The elite students were all given the first section as their ssroom, so tia knew she would meet the person there. As she thought, the moment she stepped inside the ssroom, a sudden rush of angelic aura crashed against her, and she had to momentarily close her eyes. The overwhelming emotions of a certain individual became overbearing for her and tia took a moment to collect herself. Thankfully, Kyle wasn''t around or he might have gotten worried. ''I hope he is doing well...'' Thinking about him, tia couldn''t help but feel a little sad and lonely. He didn''t have much sleepst night for some unknown reason so in the morning, tia forced him to rest for the day. Naturally, he was reluctant, but against her weapons of destruction (tears), he yielded. Walking inside, she found the person who released such a daunting aura to be upying the frontmost seat, the seat that tia was expecting to be empty. Maintaining herposure, she walked towards the brown-haired girl who nonchntly sat there while reading a book. From one nce, tia could say that she is a pretty girl with homely vibes. Afortable demeanour and an approachable attitude. However, that sudden stillness of emotions tia sensed from her was quite terrifying. No person she has seen with such serene emotions. There was nothing tia could gaze at other than calmness in her aura. "Oh, hey." Suddenly, the girl turned her attention to tia, and with a sweet smile, she waved her hand. "You must be the renowned Princess about whom everyone talks about." She continued, "I know I shouldn''t have sat here, but my far sight is a little weak, so can you manage?" She collected her books and shifted to the extreme left while she asked tia in a sweet tone. tia didn''t have to nce around to see that the whole ss was already filled and she wouldn''t find any vacant seats. Surely, she could ask someone to sacrifice their seat for her but Kyle wouldn''t be happy to hear that she has asserted dominance by using her status. He bes too upright sometimes. Resigning to her fate, she sat down beside the strange girl after cing the bag on the desk. "Ah, by the way, I am Charlotte." The girl offered her hand to tia as she introduced herself. "tia." Briefly, she introduced herself and ignored the offered hand. The girl named Charlotte chuckled and pulled her hand away. Soon, a familiar face walked inside the ssroom, followed by another familiar face. tia didn''t bother to look at them for more than a nce worth of time before she began to take out the books for the homeroom. Logan was apanying Sasha as they had be quite good friends in recent times. They shared the same desk, and through Sasha''s persuasion, Elera¡ªSasha''s maid¡ªsparred with Logan from time to time as well. The duo nced at tia for once before their eyes went to the brown-haired. "Lord...how did the two strongest of the ss agree to sit together?" Sasha couldn''t help but exim while covering her mouth. Logan''s eyes narrowed at tia''s cold temperament as he led Sasha to the second seat; just behind the one on which tia and Charlotte were sitting. "Hello. I know it is quitete to say this but I hope we will have a great year together." Surprising not only the person to whom these words were spoken but to everyone in the ss, Charlotte greeted Sasha and Logan with a pretty smile on her face. This was the first time Charlotte has talked to someone for more than two or three words. Her small conversations with other students gave an impression that another Princess have joined the ss. Logan and Sasha were so shocked that they didn''t even say anything in response before the homeroom teacher arrived. "Good morning ss, I hope you all are doing well..." The normal greetings were exchanged and the theoretical ss went on. In the third period, the instructor of physical education arrived and told the students to get changed into their battle uniform. tia naturally went with the others to the lockeroom and strangely Charlotte was always a few meters around her. For once tia thought that she might be a spy or an assassin sent from another country to abduct or maybe kill tia. However, under the close inspection of the school administration there was very little chance for such to be the case. Regardless, tia remained on guard all the time around her as they changed their clothes in the locker room. "I noticed Your Highness, you don''t have a servant following you?" Suddenly, while she was wearing the battle vest over her shirt, tia heard that question from Charlotte. tia became a little sad to think about Kyle as she subconscious said, "He''s sick..." "What happened to him?!" tia frowned to hear such enraged voice as she turned towards Charlotte. She was expecting to see the ''red'' in Charlotte aura based on her tone. However, the moment she turned towards the cinnamon haired girl there was no redness in her hue nor she seemed offended at all. ''Was I imagining things?'' In the first ce, it was nonsensical for Charlotte to be worried for Kyle; someone she doesn''t even know. tia didn''t respond to her anymore and after changing clothes she exited the room. ************* Kyle woke up some time around ten on the clock, which was quite strange for him. He always woke up early before sunrise to help tia prepare for the day. However,st night he was quite restless because of that weird feeling that someone was around. It was quite disturbing that''s why he never slept until morning. tia urged him to stay back and rest, and truth be told he needed rest. "Ugh I am hungry..." Deciding to eat something before taking a bath, he went to the kitchen and found there was a te resting for him. He uncovered the dish and found four sandwiches and a sweet note waiting for him. A smile bloomed on his face as he read the small note; [A little bit of salt, some vegetables and a lots of love. Get well soon <3] Kyle looked at the note and couldn''t stop grinning like a fool in love. His girlfriend is just too adorable. He decides to take a bite of the sandwich when suddenly he heard someone knocking on the door. "Fuu...who would be knocking at this hour..." Feeling a little annoyed he went to check the door afterbing his hair a bit and straightening his clothes. He expected someone from the security or maybe tia herself, but when he opened the door his expectations turned into shock to see the person standing there. "Professor ra?" ************ A/N:- Secret affair? Chapter 81- Solution Chapter 81- Solution "I heard from tia that you were sick...so I came to check on you." Sitting inside the living room of the ce where ra shouldn''t be, the two individuals exchanged words. Although Kyle didn''t want to meet ra behind tia''s back¡ªespecially in this ce¡ªhe wasn''t so impolite to send her back right away either. He poured some water for thedy and replied without much thought, "I was a little exhausted, not sick. Anyways, thanks for worrying about me." He extended the ss in her direction which ra instantly took and sipped on the water slowly. Kyle sat down on the chair across from her and waited for thedy to say if she had something to discuss. Normally, anyone would feel awkward in this kind of situation. However, ra came here to see Kyle, who had been absent from the academy for the past few days. And when he arrived the news of his sickness made her worried. She was ncing at his profile secretly while Kyle stared at his hands in a daze. His angr face extruded a manly charm even though he was so young. He wasn''t pale and possessed a slight tea-shade which elevated his charm when aligned with his silvery mane. He looked nothing less than a Prince out of a fantasy book. "Professor, please speak your mind if you have something to say." Kyle ushered, clearly not unaware of her shy nce. ra slowly put down the ss on the table before asking, "The way you are calling me, should I consider that you don''t want to let me get close to you?" Kyle heaved a sigh. He knew this wasing. He had caused this and now he had no right to back away and pretend he never did anything to gain such attention from her. Looking at thedy in the eyes, he was momentarily startled to see those heavy droplets raining down her eyes while thedy kept her eyes fixated on him, unblinking all this time as she anticipated him to leave the moment she tore her eyes off him. Kyle wanted to wipe her tears but he held himself back and asked her, "Can you please stop crying? I feel guilty to see you like this." "No...please don''t mind me....it''s just my stupid emotional self that never listens to me." She suddenly got up, intending to just walk away, when suddenly she found her wrist being held. ra lifted her eyes and turned to look at Kyle with an expectant gaze. The tension rose in the air as Kyle discerned what a mess he had caused. He could have let her go, and this matter might have been sorted out right now. But he had to be so considerate towards anyone whom he saw crying. "Okay, let''s sit and talk...ra." ra helplessly smiled hearing her name from him¡ªwhich sounded sweeter than ever¡ªas she listened to his request and sat back down. Kyle brought his chair near her so he didn''t need to speak out loud before asking, "You do know I will never cheat on tia right? Then why are you still trying so hard to pursue me? You are young, beautiful and talented, ra. Then why are you stuck up with someone as average as me?" "Because this average person has made me realise the feeling which I was unaware of. Because this average person helped me realise that this world isn''t only about greed and malice. Because this average person taught me how to be selfless and look at the brighter side of everything." ra spoke instantly after he presented the query, almost like she was babbling a response, she had memorized. Kyle was stunned. He never anticipated that he had made such a massive impression on thedy to the point she seemed like she was worshipping him. The vivid emotions of admiration and love in her eyes made it obvious how she felt about him. Kyle was quite bewildered and helpless. He leaned back in his chair and rested his hands on his knees. This wasplicated. ra pressed forward, "You are worried about tia right?" Kyle frowned, clearly not sure what she was referring to here. However, before he could ask what she meant, suddenly ra got up and left the ce. Kyle also got up and wanted to follow her but she was like a gale¡ªdisappeared in an instant. ''Why do I have a bad feeling about this?'' ************* In the indoor gymnasium, the practical lessons were taken through sparring. It was not a rare urrence for the students to spar like this, after all, they were all trying to be warriors who would fight the underworld residents. Those few students who awakened their angelic traits were gathered around to fight against their sparring partners who got selected through the lottery system. Only a single spar happens once at a time, and since there are thirty students it doesn''t take much time. The reason why the students are made to watch others is to assess their possible opponent in the academy tournament, which happens near the first-semester end. tia had a battle with someone who goes by the name Edwin or something. However, before her, there was a battle between Logan and the student who was the tallest in the ss and who had given himself the title of ''Iron Wall''. tia remained standing in indifference, which didn''t go unnoticed by Logan. He wondered if there was something that excites the Princess. Regardless, he walked into the arena and stood across the boy who definitely looked old enough to be someone''s father, but here he was fighting as a student. "My bad luck is that I had to fight against a loser." Logan didn''t show any reaction to his opponent''s taunt as he readied himself. He wasn''t unaware of the fact that his name was being rumoured as the delusional fool who got manhandled by the Princess. He wasn''t offended as much as he was before hearing a good scolding from Sasha. She made him realise what he could do to be better than before and antagonising tia was not in the n. While keeping his head cool, Logan wore his rubber knuckles which were allowed in the battle. The opponent was also wielding a hammer made of hard rubber¡ªwhich wouldn''t kill but surely hurt. "Students ready?" The instructor asked as he stood near the middle with his left hand raised. Logan remained standing at his spot while assuming a fighting stance while the other one grinned and nodded towards the referee. With the consent of the two, the instructor dered, "Begin!" "Oryaaaaaa!!" The Iron Wall marched forward on his massive feet, hammer raised high, determined to finish this match in style and impress the Princess with his prowess. But in a blink, Logan vanished from his spot. In the next moment, the giant student froze, eyes rolling back, mouth agape in silent agony. Logan stood there, his left hand buried deep in his opponent''s stomach, a cold, lethal gleam in his eyes. *Dhak* The Great Iron Wall fell to his knees, and in just three seconds, the match came to an end. *********** A/N:- Hope you liked the development...well if you can call it development that is. Drop ament. Chapter 82- Friends Chapter 82- Friends Kyle sat inside the room and waited for tia to return. He would have gone to find her but stopped himself knowing he wouldn''t be much of a help to go there at this hour. Possibly, she would be in the gymnasium, having spar against her fellow ssmates. That''s why he decided to meet her during lunch break. He was troubled about the sudden visit of ra but he decided to think about itter. After all, during all this drama with tia''s family, he nearly forgot that he was in the world of a novel, and there were arcs that were about to happen really soon. The second arc¡ªThe Imposter¡ªwould begin around this time. The introduction to the danger would begin with an archdemon, no less. Those high inhumane who ascend their limits and attain rationality are called Archdemons. They are higher in rank inparison to other demons and lower than their lords, called Devils. Archdemons possess enough soul power to enter the human world without showing their true colors and change their appearance if they have the skills to. Archdemons are dangerous and can control other demons ording to their will. And one of those Archdemons was about to attack the school in secrecy. The target of the archdemon was the pink-haired girl who goes by the name Sasha. Sasha has a gift of purifying the Dark Water¡ªa substance that enhances the demons and works as a fuel for them. Sasha''s divineponent is her hands, with which she could purify the demonic blood and grant them a peaceful farewell. The rumors about her ability spread once she entered the academy, and surely, the archdemon came to ughter their nemesis under everyone''s nose. ''In possibly three days...'' Thendmark of that event was the battle between tia and Logan which happened a week before the arc. That''s why Kyle knows when he could expect the appearance of the inhumane. Under normal circumstances, the Archdemon wouldn''t be able to prate the school''s defense easily. However, there was someone who would support the demon from the inside. And that person is¡ª ****** "Rowell Markton, walk inside the arena." Hearing his name the blond noble sneered and haughtily made his way to the arena. His eyes narrowed at Logan, who just finished his match, but unfortunately, Rowell didn''t get the chance to humiliate thatmoner who insulted Rowell during the entrance ceremony. ''Well, if not thatmoner..then this would work fine as well...'' Rowell grinned upon looking at his opponent, who was a brown-haired girl. There were rumors that the girl was very strong and invincible but she hadn''t fought Rowell before. His skills are made to fight against someone stronger. And given the girl couldn''t go all out in a spar, Rowell knew how he would be able to win this. ''Finally, my day to shine!'' Rowell inwardly rejoiced since today, the royal highness was present in the arena and was looking at the match with focus. ''Is she finally noticing my charm?'' The cold and uncaring Princess was actually watching the match. That made Rowell even more eager to give her a spectacle and impress tia. "Participants, ready?" The match referee asked as he raised his hand. Rowell nodded and so did the girl whose name Rowell remembered to be Charlie...Charlotte or something. Getting the consent, the referee shed his hand, and dered, "Begin!" "Take this!" The deration was followed by a loud yell from Rowell as he nted his hands on the ground, and suddenly, a globe of mud surrounded the brown-haired woman¡ªgetting her stuck at the same spot. Rowell was fast on his feet. His calves tensed as he sprinted in her direction, and a few meters before her, he jumped into the air and lunged at the girl with his wooden sword raised above his head. The blond noble could see his victory only inches away from him. Once hends the sword on the girl''s head and she cks out, he will win the match and the heart of the Princess. However, *CRACK* Seeing the de breaking into thin strands upon hitting the girl''s head, Rowell''s eyes widened. The de, which was supposed to injure the girl into oblivion, didn''t leave a single scratch, and Charlotte remained smiling at Rowell. "Instructor, can I hit him now?" Suddenly the girl turned her attention towards the instructor before she asked him. Rowell panicked and wanted to make some distance from this psycho girl when suddenly, the mud pod broke and her dainty arm dug out to grab Rowell''s throat with brute force. "Khak! Let go, you damn woman!!" Rowell struggled against her hold but despite his scratching and punching, she didn''t budge and waited for the referee to give the signal. The instructor was beyond perplexed about what he should do here. The reason why Charlotte allowed herself to get trapped and hit by Rowell was because she was instructed to hold back and not make the first move. But now, "Y-Yes, you can." Charlotte''s smile disappeared as she looked at the iling fish in her hand, and slowly, the mud cage began to shatter into pieces. Rowell''s face became pale, seeing the effortlessness the girl showed, signifying she was never in the tough spot to begin with. With her left hand still holding the boy, Charlotte brought her right hand near his forehead with her index finger tightly pressed against her thumb. "It was nice meeting you, ssmate." Rowell panicked to hear that, but before he could have conjured another spell, he cked out. **BOOOOOOOM** Under everyone''s astonished gaze, Charlotte just flicked the guy on the forehead, and his body shot away from the arena and traveled in a straight line until Rowell didn''t hit the gym wall and got framed into it. Charlotte rubbed her palms together before turning towards the instructor, whose mouth was hanging low and eyes were parted wide. The look of shock was shared by the students and tia was no exception to it. Although her reaction wasn''t as exaggerated, the way her eyes were stretched shows that she never expected the new student to be so stupidly strong. Charlotte liked that reaction. ************* Around lunch, when everyone was walking out of the ssroom to grab something to eat, tia also got up so she could freshen her mood by returning to the dorm and meeting her lover. However, just as she got up and began walking her deskmate called out for her, "tia, mind if I join you for lunch? You see, I have no friends as of now except for you." tia frowned but never halted her feet and asked the girl, "When did I agree to be friends with you?" "Just when you agreed to sit with me?" She innocently replied. tia was slightly astounded at how positive this girl could be to think that. And in the first ce, despite being amoner, why was she not showing any reservation with her? Although tia doesn''t like to unt her status generally, it helps often in keeping people away from her. ''You need to make friends to have a party, .'' Suddenly, Kyle''s words came to his mind, and tia wondered if this was what he meant. ncing at Charlotte, tia wondered whether she could make a friend other than Kyle. But seeing that creepy smile on the creepy girl, she inwardly shook her head. ''Not possible.'' Silently, they began to walk and soon exited the ssroom. "Mydy." Suddenly, tia heard a voice that was too familiar to get mistaken. A smile threatened to bloom on her face when she turned towards the source of the voice and found her favorite person standing there. For some reason, the girl beside tia suddenly froze upon seeing Kyle, which didn''t go unnoticed by tia She turned to look at Kyle to see if he had a simr reaction...but no. He didn''t show any familiarity to the girl. However, looking at Charlotte there was something she was sure about. She knew Kyle. ************** A/N:- Run boy run. Chapter 83- Team up? Chapter 83- Team up? Kyle already knew that Charlotte had enrolled. Canonically she was scouted by a teacher while she was working as an adventurer. However, in this timeline, it seems she has volunteered to be a student of the Starfall Academy, and the reason why she was taken in, despite beingte, was her excessively strong talent in divine magic. Rumors were everywhere in the academy so it wasn''t much of a task for Kyle to discern how famous Charlotte has be in so little time. She entered the academy through a special rmendation and then was assessed by the Headmaster himself through several tests. She excelled in all of them. She not only aced all the basic examinations but in one on one spar, she even defeated an instructor¡ªmaking several new records. Now, that''s something to be concerned about. The heroine Kyle had in mind was only strong enough to bepared to the current Logan and not surpass tia in any sense until the very end of the story. However, from what he had heard from rumors and seen inside the gymnasium some moments ago, Kyle was sure about something. Charlotte was, currently, the strongest main character. But how? And why? Wasn''t she supposed to take a different route since Kyle saved her town and her family? Then...howe? "Hello, Kyle." Standing in front of him was the familiar brown-haired waitress whom Kyle met a year ago. And now unlike thest time, she was exposing a lot of emotions. Smiling and all... "Good afternoon to you, prettydy." Kyle extended a formal greeting while pretending to be unaware of her identity. Suddenly, someone bumped into her from behind, and Charlotte stumbled forward. Kyle was quick on his feet as he caught the girl in his arms before she could hit the ground and possibly damage her face. "Are you okay?" Kyle asked as he tried to help her get up...however, Charlotte seemed to be reluctant to let go. She held his arms and her eyes were closed. She was mumbling something under her breath which, despite having heightened senses, he couldn''t hear. "Just let go, already!" tia intervened; no longer able to endure this harassment, Charlotte directed to Kyle. She red at the girl fiercely and the surroundings began to freeze up. The passing-by students instantly scrambled away to not get caught in the outburst; however, the person who should have panicked the most remained standing there with a brief smile on her face. "Why are you reacting so much, tia? I was just feeling dizzy so I clung to him." Charlotte tried to soothe her anger with her eyes rounded in innocence. Kyle also felt that Charlotte was telling the truth, so he stepped forward and gently urged his mistress, "Please calm down . You will get punished if things escte from here. You might need to stay in detention." Thest bit of his warning did the job as she suddenly lost the excitement and her eyes turned round in horror. Staying in detention means, staying away from Kyle. And that was not eptable! "L-Let''s just go..." She suddenly turned on her heels and began to walk away. Kyle bowed to Charlotte before following hisdy. The innocent smile from Charlotte''s face slowly disappeared and a wicked grin extended her lips. Resting her left elbow on her palm, she covered her lips with her fingers as she muttered under her breath, "Let''s see, how soon you ruin your rtionship with him because of your obsession." *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* Because of Charlotte, tia was mad. Like a lot. She wanted to be pampered by Kyle. As such, she first returned to the dorm and waited for him near the dining table with her hands crossed on her chest. Kyle heaved a sigh, knowing all well what she desired. There was no point asking her anything until he didn''t fulfill her unsaid demand. Yielding to her cuteness, he sat down on the chair near her and patted hisp. tia coughed in her fist and didn''t move. Kyle helplessly smiled before calling out, "My dear , please sit down with me." A faint smile, which she tried to suppress, bloomed on her face as the Princess sat down on the throne which belonged to her alone. Kyle removed the te, which was covering the lunch he had made before leaving, and scooped some rice into the spoon. "You know I was really mad-*nom*- when you took her shide *mm*." While she chewed the rice, tia began toin. "The way you held her was really annoying...it made me angry..." She ate andined about how hurt she was to see them so close just now. Kyle epted all the me and patiently assured her that he would never do that again. This was not the first time she got jealous. Even during their childhood phase, tia used to get grumpy when Kyle yed with other kids. Her possessiveness has elevated over time, and now, Kyle needs to be careful with his actions for the sake of the other party. He slowly fed her the food and also ate some portion of the white rice and curry in between. Once they finished lunch, Kyle urged her, "Let''s get going. You still have three periods left right?" tia seemed reluctant as she held his hand and moved it back and forth while whining. "That won''t do, mydy. As an ideal student, you must attend all your lectures." Kyle shook his head and rejected all her attempts to skip sses. tia released his hand with a ''Che'' before muttering something like ''You no longer love me''. Just as they exited the dorm, a familiar face greeted them on the other side. "Your Highness, a very good afternoon to you." tia''s expression turned cold as she asked the other person, "What do you want?" It was the same blond noble who got wrecked by Charlotte half an hour ago, and now, he was standing here in front of her with a disgusting smile(from tia''s perspective) on his face. Rowell''s expression broke for a moment, being responded to harshly, but he didn''t show any changes in his attitude before responding, "Today, the teachers will be assigning students to a party. So I was wondering if it''s okay for us to team up together?" tia frowned, but before she could reject him, Rowell spoke up again, "I have already three people from the ss who have a very good sync with each other. We just need an observer and supporter, and I think you fill that role very well. So, since Your Highness doesn''t have anyone to party up with, I thought, why not us?" Kyle nced at tia from the side, thinking what she would do. Rejecting him here would mean she probably wouldn''t get another team so well made up. And not to talk about how dirty rumors Rowell might spread if she rejects him now. ''Let''s see what you do here, mydy.'' Rowell and Kyle remained silent for the next half a minute before tia finally parted her lips and announced her intentions, "I actually have someone I have promised to team up with. And in my opinion, you won''t like that person in your team." Rowell frowned as he asked, "Who is that person?" A sense of mockery shone in her eyes as tia responded, "Your good sparring partner? Charlotte? You do remember her right?" Rowell''s smiling expression broke and a scowl overwrote it. He gritted his teeth, and in a fit of rage, he stepped forward¡ªintending to intimidate her; however, before he could reach tia, a hand grabbed Rowell by his cor, and the blond noble suddenly found his world turned upside down. Rowell instantly got up from the ground and stared at the silver-haired butler in astonishment. "Please maintain your distance, Sir Rowell. Next time, it won''t end with just a simple warning." In those eyes, Rowell could see the darkness that not a normal man shouldn''t possess. The certainty he carried in his voice and the unwavering demeanor he wore made Kyle look dreadful in Rowell''s eyes. The blond noble suddenly got back up on his feet and without another word spoken, he marched away. Kyle traced Rowell with his eyes when suddenly he found his hand being hugged and pressed against something warm and soft. Looking down, he found his mistress swaying left to right while hugging his arm as she said, "My knight in silver armor...are you trying to seduce your mistress?" Kyle could only helplessly smile and enjoy this side of tia which belonged to him and him alone. *********** A/N:- Stop the flirting, already! Don''t you fear being seen by others?! Chapter 84- Team up Chapter 84- Team up This world was against tia. She knew her status as a Princess wouldn''t work on the teachers but still, cing her in the same team as those individuals whom she dislikes? Not to talk about, one of her teammates was someone Kyle asked tia to be wary of. "Can you stop making such a disgusted face? I am also not thrilled to be ced in the same team as you." Logan spat those words in a slightly annoyed tone. Princess she might be, but it doesn''t mean he has to tolerate her insult. "Don''t look at me then," tia replied, straight and simple. She couldn''t help herself. She was ced in a team of four, which consisted of Logan, Sash, Charlotte, and the human mountain, who calls himself The Iron Wall¡ªCasterville Aron. The team of irregrs. "Okay then, now that the teams have been formed, I would like to inform you about things before we dive into the Wastnd." The instructor responsible for their practical sses stood in front of the groups and began exining, "Wastnds are the man-madebyrinth for the student to train against real-life threats with the chances of getting seriously injured. Although no student would die, there have been cases when students in the past, left the academy right after their first venture." That caused many students to widen their eyes and some had their faces turned pale in fear. They had the idea that whatever happens, the teachers wouldn''t let them get hurt more than an extent. But to think, students have retired from the school after their first experience? This was terrifying. "Now, what must you be mindful of? First, never leave your group. Even when you are going to pee take someone with you in case someone is waiting for you to show your vulnerable side. Second. Never, I said, never let go of your weapon if you are onlyfortable fighting with them. Third, keep an eye on your ration and whatever you are carrying. And thest one," With a small grin forming on the man''s face, he said, "Give your life and well-being your utmost priority." Many nodded in reflex while some others thought of the strategy they would be adapting in the Wastnd. The instructor gave them some time to ask him if they had any questions. tia didn''t bother asking anything since she had already decided her course of action. Today would be her first andst day performing a task with this team. Suddenly, Sasha asked something that caught tia''s attention, "Excuse me, sir, can we take our servants with us?" ''Abyrinth date with Kyle? That sounds fantastic!'' tia inwardly eximed with her eyes adopting a shine that stunned Logan. However, "Of course, not. Your servants wouldn''t let you properly fight the dangers, and it would be pretty useless for you to go there if your servants ended up fighting the monsters in your stead." Taking a small pause, the instructor added, "You need to climb out of yourfort zone to be an actual warrior." "U-understood," Sasha responded with sudden enthusiasm appearing in her eyes. The instructor looked around and answered every question that was asked before he told them, "You have thirty minutes to prepare. In sharp thirty minutes, meet me near the second outdoor training ground." tia didn''t wait for the group discussion and made her way out of the ssroom. Her destination was set and she didn''t halt anywhere until she reached the cafeteria, where she promised to meet Kyle Kyle was standing there with a bag in his hand. The bag contained supplies she would need for the exploration. He has put some sandwiches and high-sugar candies to boost her stamina, first aid, disinfectant, water, and ab. Since the exploration would continue until evening, she needed to be prepared. "Did you get into a team?" His biggest fear was for tia not to get included in any group because of her indifferent attitude and liking toward solitary. The smile on tia''s face faltered. In a hesitant manner, she nodded and slowly said, "I-I got one...but there is someone in the team you don''t like." "Logan?" tia nodded again her eyes falling to the ground. Kyle heaved a sigh. He expected this. The world would force Logan to be with tia somehow. He couldn''t fight against that but surely he trusts tia to maintain her distance. Maybe she took his silence as a sign of displeasure as she hurriedly assured him, "Don''t worry, tho. I will talk to the headmaster today after school, and if things don''t work, I will ask Brother Edmund to write a letter to the headmaster." Kyle raised his brows as he looked at tia with a surprised gaze. He wanted to tell her that it was unnecessary but he stopped. Maybe, this was the right thing? Should he let tia handle things? "You don''t need to worry about me, . Just be yourself and remain safe out there, okay?" He softly caressed her head and suggested. Kyle knew the extent of her love for him which cannot be swayed even if the butterfly effect is under process. He just needs to be wary of any other factor that could influence Logan''s feelings for tia. If the Protagonist bes infatuated with tia...then sadly, this world might lose its brave warrior. "Mm...I will listen to you." Alicia smiled at him and the duo spent some time together. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª****¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª After bidding farewell to tia, Kyle returned to the dorm with great urgency. He had to prepare so he could enter thebyrinth with the other groups without getting noticed. The sensors situated at the entrance could only sense a presence if it had an aura, and Kyle was a non-awakened. What made him troubled was the physical surveince. He didn''t have an image of inside thebyrinth or he would have used teleportation. He was thinking of some methods as he moved toward the dorm...only to halt suddenly upon finding ra standing in front of the house; most probably waiting for him. "Professor?" Kyle asked, with some wariness evident in his voice. ra dryly smiled at his cautiousness but she didn''t say anything about it and took out a vial of potion from her pouch before handing it to Kyle. "This potion would make you disappear for ten seconds at most." "Invisibility potion? You discovered it?!" Kyle eximed. This was a very huge leap in the world of potions. Based on this potion alone, ra could get a title of noble and numerous benefits from the Empire. "Yes...recently, I discovered the missing ingredient and after testing it numerous times, I decided to give it to you.¡± Taking a pause she asked, ¡°You are going with tia, right? To protect her?" Kyle sobered up hearing her words, a little surprised at how well she knew him. Even though she was a Professor, Kyle admitted, "Yes, I am. And thank you for your help. I will make sure to repay you one day." Saying so, Kyle made his way inside the house since he was short on time. ra followed his figure with her eyes until he disappeared behind the doors. Her soft smile twisted into a grin, and her eyes gave out the impression of a woman who was experiencing euphoria. "Oh Kyle, this is so perfect. For you to be indebted to me~¡± ********** A/N:- Beware of the sweet poison. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 85- Wasteland~1 Chapter 85- Wastnd~1 Wastnds are artificialbyrinths or dungeons prepared to train students and soldiers. It''s also used for hiring mercenaries as a testing ground. The Dark Water¡ªthe essence which makes a demon¡ªattracts them, and in a Wastnd, Dark Water is present in abundance at several spots, so it doesn''t take any other source to keep the demons inside. Each floor has a different amount of Dark Water given the rank of demons residing on each floor. And for today, the students of the Starfall Academy had to explore the first floor. "Okay then, students. I hope you all are physically and mentally prepared for this. Remember the absolute rules I spoke of in the ss and you won''t risk yourself under normal circumstances." The instructor spoke up while looking at the different groups. Once he found no question or excuse arriving from the students, hemanded, "Now, off you go!" The older one stepped aside and the wide gate of thebyrinth came into view. The first team walked forward, albeit a little hesitantly. The teleportation portal situated at the entrance of thebyrinth would only throw the students at some ce on the first floor. The Wastnd was wide so each group could explore different regions of the same floor. tia''s team was sixth. She was standing along with others without bothering to chat with them. Well, only Logan and Sasha were talking about how excited and scared they were to experience their firstbyrinth. tia had faced demons before when she was getting trained by her brothers and the Sage. That exins her indifference wasn''t fake bravado but natural confidence. "Team Sixth, step forward." They did as told and everyone finally stepped inside thebyrinth. "Fuck!" However, the next moment, a curse left Logan''s throat as he realised that they were falling from the ceiling into the dark hole which had no end. "KYAAAAHHHH!" Sasha yelled with tears at the corner of her eyes as, along with others, she also began to fall. tia drew a sharp breath, her violet eyes shining in the darkness. With a fierce burst of energy, she unleashed a wave of ice from her feet, desperate to extend it faster and farther. The ice shot downward, racing against her fall, expanding with relentless speed as she pushed herself to create a frozen bridge before she could hit the ground. Aron simply strengthened his body without showing much of a reaction. Charlotte....was nonchntly falling. Logan realised his role and instantly held Sasha by her waist and pulled her close. He also strengthened himself, and all of a sudden, the group of four hit the ground. "Ah!" A loud exim left her lips as Sasha found her visioning to a standstill but it didn''t hurt anywhere. "Are you okay?" Logan asked her while breathing a little unsteadily and streaks of sweat sliding down his head. "Y-Yes...I am fine. Thank you for saving me." Sasha blushed finding herself so close to Logan as she hurriedly left his arms and stood on her feet. Logan turned towards his left and found tia slowly melting her ice and descending to the floor with ease. Aron had his hands on his waist and his head tilted upward. Logan''s eyes rounded as he also looked in the same direction as him¡ªonly to find his eyes widening. From above, a fairy was descending. Her two golden wings fluttered beautifully as Charlotte, with a soft smile on her face, slowly came down without showing any difficulty whatsoever. She didn''t even show panic earlier as well. ''What a daring girl...''. A look of awe shed in Logan''s eyes as he watched Charlotte finallynd her feet on the ground. "Wah...Miss Charlotte? You can summon your wings onmand?" Sasha eximed;pletely surprised by the fact that a fellow student had achieved a feat which even the third year-students couldn''t aplish. Charlotte didn''t reply to her but just smiled in response. Rather, she nced at tia and surely, the Princess hadpletely ignored Charlotte. tia was currently looking around the ce. There was something ominous about this floor which she didn''t expect. The first floor of the Wastnd shouldn''t be giving such excessive feeling- "Watch out!" Someone shouted from behind, but tia didn''t pay heed to them and instantly summoned an ice shield to protect herself from the iing attack. Therge club held by arge orc struck tia''s shield, and in the next moment, it broke her spell-like ss and sent tia flying away because of the brutality behind the attack. "No!!" Sasha shouted and covered her mouth in shock. Logan jumped into action and brought himself in the route of her trajectory before grabbing tia from behind. tia felt dizzy as she somehow stabilized herself on her feet. That...was unexpected. Weren''t these monsters only meant to be on F to E-rank? A thick streak of blood slid down her head as tia looked at the Great Orc in front. There was no doubt that this beast was D-rank. "A-Are you alright?" Logan hesitantly asked from behind; however, the response never arrived as tia disappeared in a mist, and before Aron could have engaged in battle, she appeared above the Orc''s bald head with arge seven-foot ice spear held in her hand. Her eyes burned with a fierce intensity that made Aron more terrified of her than even the orc. The demon sensed something above its head and instinctively raised its club to swat it away¡ªbut it was toote. *SQUELCH* The Princess was sharp in both her knowledge and her strength. She knew the orc¡¯s weakest spot was its crown, and even though she was injured, she stayed calm. The ice spear plunged into the monster''s thick skin, and with a burst of power, tia drove it deeper into the demon¡¯s body. The spear sliced through its insides pierced its groin and stabbed into the ground below. "*GRUOOGH*" The helpless cry of the demon resounded as it failed to move even an inch around and vitality left its ugly eyes. "Is this the infamous Judgement of the Princess?" Sasha asked in a meek tone as she noted things in her diary, even though she was scared to death just a few moments ago. The short battle, came to an end, with both parties exchanging a single blow. But the difference was that tia only incurred a little scratch while her enemy lost its life. "What the hell with that speed...." With his lips parted agape, Logan looked at the majestic figure of the Princess who stood atop the head of the dead foe. He thought she was injured and might need some rest...but this? Her magic activation speed was insane and her unshakable precision was just.... "Incredible." For some reason, Logan couldn''t look at tia with scornful eyes anymore. He had started to feel more from her. He admires her. ************* A/N:- Stop there! Chapter 86- Sudden twist Chapter 86- Sudden twist ''The Trial of the Brave¡ªfor god sake, it began before it should have.'' Kyle uttered those words as he realised where the group of the five had been thrown to. He had a feeling that this team, which was filled with three major main characters, had gathered a little earlier than they should have; as such, there was a chance for this mini-arc to show up. However, this was a little too soon. Dumping a group of first-year students to thest floor of thebyrinth where the demons rank up to A, indeed a very messy situation. "I need to be on alert." Heaving a sigh, K nced at the dark funnel created by several floors of the Wastnd, before covering his face with the wooden mask and jumping into the hell hole. ********** Logan had discerned the fact that they had ended up on a different floor. This was, by far, not the first floor of the Labyrinth. Beforeing here, he and Sasha had a thorough discussion about the monsters they might have to face. And in those names, the great orc came under the ''Nearly Impossible'' category. The other four have also discerned the fact as well, as they surveilled their surroundings and decided to take it slow from here. "We need to somehow get in touch with the instructor." Logan stated in a voice that could reach the others. It was really unfortunate that other than himself and Sasha the other three remain mute most of the time. tia didn''t pay attention to him since at the moment she was utilizing her eyes to look around the ce. She could gather numerous presences in several parts of the floor, and all of them had the hue of red and ck shade. The color of anger and intent to murder. Since the administrator organised this activity to be performed on the first floor, it wasn''t surprising that no instructor had arrived by their side until now. Each floor was wide enough to take several long hours to search before they could reach this base floor. In summary, they needed to survive against the monsters way above what they could face. "Scared?" Hearing Aron''s arrogant voice, tia narrowed her eyes. She couldn''t believe this bull was knocked over like a pup just yesterday yet he still possessed such a mountain-tall ego. She ignored him and continued to look around with her Heavenly Vision to keep herself alert. Sasha suggested all of a sudden, "We should find a corner and wait for the instructors to arrive." Logan smirked, "Well, if only those things let us hide, that is." Under Sasha''s widened gaze and Aron''s shocked one, a winged-demon suddenly lunged at the group with a trident in its hold. Logan was quick on his feet as he used enhancement to boost the strength in his legs, and using Aron''s shoulder as a tform, he lunged at the predator. The imp looking demon didn''t anticipate a human to appear from behind the big human, as such it shed its trident mindlessly. Logan was in mid-air, so other than grabbing the weapon he couldn''t have done anything, and as a result, he was now hanging several feet above the ground with the demon inches away from his face. "*IKHWEK!*" The demonughed before it used the left w to stab Logan''s shoulder¡ªgauging out his flesh and drawing blood. Logan gritted his teeth as he somehow maintained the hold on the trident. His eyes shed ominously in the dark and a newfound strength found its way into his core. A celestial shoulder pad which glowed in a pure white shade appeared over Logan''s shoulder and healed his arm in an instant. The struggle between the human and the imp came to a standstill before Logan did what he could have never thought of. "AAAAGHHH!" He parted his mouth wide and tore off the imp''s neck with such ferocity that the monster lost itsposure and began to il mid air. The demon panicked and attacked Logan''s stomach with its elongated feet, throwing him away¡ªhowever, much to everyone''s shock, two pairs of wings appeared behind Logan''s back and he remained levitating in front of the demon. His eyes carried blood lust and his mind thought of nothing else than to make the inhumane disappear from existence. Logan charged at the demon with his fist clenched, and the demon upon sensing the impending doom, began to rush away in a different direction. "BARRIER!" The rush of aura created a long wall in front of the demon, rendering it motionless upon getting struck. And before the imp could have recovered from the crash, Logan bashed the whole four feet long demon into pulp with the momentum and brute strength. Sasha''s barrier crumbled under such force. She released the spell and the gooey matter of the dead imp fell on her face and body¡ªmaking her nauseous. "Uueghhhh!" She vomitted. Logan slowly came down to earth and the wings from his back disappeared like they never were part of him. His eyes no longer gave the radiance which terrorized Aron and his demeanor was back to normal. tia couldn''t help but frown at this development. She has assessed the personal file of each student with whom she would share the ssroom, and there was nothing mentioned about Logan to this extent. Possessing inhumane strength and having sharp battle instincts was not umon for the student who enrolled in the Academy but this...this was dangerous. ''If I have to kill him one day, I need to see all his cards when I have the chance...'' A part of her mind knew that she have to exterminate Logan one day, given how he hurt Kyle in the past and how her lover doesn''t like this punk at all. As such, tia decided to observe Logan for now. Charlotte looked at tia with a keen interest¡ªdiscerning how the Princess had a vtile mind. Initially she feared tia to bepletely devoted to Kyle, but now, seeing tia''s gaze at Logan, Charlotte felt this game to be a lot easier than she initially anticipated. *********** The next half an hour, the battle between a group of teenagers and several high ranked monster continued. Well, only three of them were fighting, one of them was supporting and thest one was protecting the supporter. "Hupp!" With a suppressed grunt, Logan lifted the massive paw of the orc which was about tond over him. The ck haired closed his eyes and with all his strength, he pushed the orc off bnce¡ªleaving the rest of the work to Charlotte, who charged at the monster with her fist clenched. **BOOOOM** It took a little bit of effort, but Charlotte was able to punch the orc with enough force to cave its face inward and make the beast drop on the ground. tia was prepared for the followup as she brought her previously raised hands down, and several long and sharp ice spikes stabbed the monster into its vital spots. "Fuuue~another D-rank dispatched." Although they made it look easy, defending against a mid-high D-rank demon, in truth it was quite taxing on everyone. tia has quite a bit of magic left in her and the potions she carried would surely give her a refill for thrice today, but still she didn''t want to be pushed into such a corner. Sasha looked unwell enough to fall down any moment. Aron was gravely injured because of his foolish attempt to take a D-rank head on, and Logan was exhausted as well. The only one who didn''t show any sign of getting worn out then it was the brown haired warrior. tia had noticed that even when attacking the demons, it never seemed Charlotte was putting all her strength. ...almost like she deemed all this nothing but farce. "We should take a rest. I will be guarding around, so take a breath and recollect yourself." In amanding tone, Charlotte stated and walked away. tia noted that the others listened to her words like they have already epted her as their leader. tia took a decision right there. She could have asserted dominance saying that she was the one standing on the highestdder of the social hierarchy. Or... "Let''s sit down for now." She chose to be wise and follow her lover''s direction. She was acting ording to the situation. *********** A/N:- I would do my best to focus more on interaction and add a bit of action to show where they stand right now. I hope you all liked the chapter. Good day~ Chapter 87- Death Chapter 87- Death [Logan''s POV:] This is weird. Sitting in a random ce with those people whom I barely know, except for Sasha, I was contemting. Well, this definitely wasn''t the ce to be so deep in thought, but the matter was concerning. Earlier, when I was fighting against that imp, I conjured my wings¡ªsomething I had only done once before when I ended up getting betrayed by my party members, and they abandoned me inside a cave. At that time, I had to fight against a demonic goblin which helped me realize my angelic traits. And today was the second time. Sasha even said that I summoned a strange luminescent armor on my shoulder that healed my arm. This was indeed strange. It has been two times so I think now I know how this works. My powers can only be triggered in front of demonic beings. And that''s a very good trait...except for the fact that unless I am fighting a demonic beast I would remain an average. Someone who gets pinned on the ground by a Princess... "I am not looking at you." Seeing those using eyes on tia, I instantly raised my hands and surrendered. She looked away, not even caring if I actually was looking. Scary. Her attitude towards the others and her butler remains in stark contrast. She saw everyone with shades of suspicion and caution while that handsome guy was the only kind person alive for her. Biased. "What happened, Logan? You are staring at Your Highness pretty intently?" Hearing Sasha''s words, I panicked and instantly snatched my eyes away. Damn, I wonder if I look disgusting in her eyes now. "I was just wondering what the limit of her magic is. Have you seen her getting exhausted even once even after chanting so manyplex spells?" Sasha''s eyes sparkled as she shifted to sit beside me and said, "Not at all. The speed of her spell activation and the magic-body coordination she showed was incredible. Almost made me kneel and pray to her." I smiled helplessly at the girl who likes to admire strong and talented people. And I agreed with her on this one. I used to consider the children of the nobles to be weak and full of themselves. Although tia possessed the second trait, she, by far, wasn''t weak. *RUMBLE* Feeling the ground trembling I frowned and instantly got up on my feet. Following me were Aron and Sasha as well. This was the sound of something huge advancing toward us. I pushed Sasha behind my back and faced the direction from where the rming sound was rising. Suddenly, out of the shadows, the familiar figure of the short brown-haired girl emerged, shooting in our direction. Her eyes were closed and she was definitely beaten up. Aron moved to catch her before she could have crashed on the ground. My attention didn''t remain on her for long as I saw what made my eyes stretch wide. *Grrr* The several-foot-tall monster peeked from the darkness, its red eyes giving off an aura that cannot bepared to the beings we have faced until now. Its hulking frame is covered in thick, scarred skin that resembles cracked, dark stone. Its two massive horns curve upward from its forehead, sharp and jagged, gleaming with a menacing glow. There was no doubt about it that this being....this demon was an S-rank. For the first time in my life, I felt fear. The huge monster stepped forward, its massive boulder crushing feet nearer us, yet I was unable to move. "Aron!" Sasha shouted as I realized that Aron had charged forward. "Aron, no!" I tried to stop him but it was toote. Aron struck his fist into the leg of the monster, with everything he could muster. Both his fists glowed fiercely, and a mighty roar escaped his throat. The twenty-foot-tall monster felt something crashing against its shin, and yet no reaction arrived other than a mere scratch. "IYEEEEEEEHHHH" Aron raised his hands, nning to attack the Oni again...however, it was a futile attempt as the monster easily snatched Aron off his feet with such pace that was practically impossible to trace. With dread I looked at what the Oni intended to do by clenching its hand which was holding Aron. "GAHHHH! HELP!!" He cried, but I was so shocked and terrified that I couldn''t move my feet at all. Just when the Oni was about to crush Aron, frost began to spread across the monster''s arm and it froze its hand which was clenching Aron, as well. I turned toward tia and found she had used a great deal of magic by freezing everything in the path between herself and the disaster. The Oni''s lower half was frozen under a thickyer of ice and for the first time since its appearance, I felt I had a chance to retaliate. However, I was hasty in making a judgment. *CLINK* With a flex of its wrist the monster snapped the ice and the cries of Aron subdued in the next moment as the Oni crushed the life out of him. My body trembled seeing that broken and lifeless body of someone I shared the ssroom with, currently lying dead on the ground. Sasha threw up seeing that beside me, but I didn''t have the strength to react properly. I used to think that I have trained enough to face any danger in the world¡­however, I was severely wrong. In front of the true danger, I was nothing but an insect who can only get crushed under the stronger one¡¯s feet. First tia and now this demon¡­.I believe this was my destiny from the beginning. *KHUKUH* The demon grinned feeling the trepidation we were showcasing as it stepped forward,pletely disregarding Aron¡¯s body. tia suddenly raised her hand, intending to channel her magic to form another spell, however suddenly a bone crushing force descended on us and everyone including tia fell to the ground. *BLANK* My mind was no longer functioning properly. W-was this bloodlusting from a single creature?! I can''t even move a finger under such force! I was feeling helpless and couldn''t find a way to retaliate¡­until my eyesnded on Sasha. She was just inches away from me so I was able to nce at her. She looked pale and her eyes rolled back. Her condition was not good¡­.not good at all! ¡°Fuck! Get up already!¡± I have already lost onepanion. I can''t sacrifice my friend¡¯s life just because I remained lying on the ground like a coward! With sheer will force I pressed my hands on the ground and while gritting my teeth I pushed myself. Every fiber of my being was crying to just remove this barrier. ¡°Huh?!¡± But suddenly, the bloodlust disappeared and I ended up pushing myself a little more than what was required¡ªresulting in me leaping away from my previous spot. While being airborne, I looked at the Oni, and found a majestic figure of a shrouded person standing on top of the monster¡­. ¡­.or should I say, dead monster. ******** A/N:- Drop ament. Chapter 88- Masked man Chapter 88- Masked man "Damn it! Fuck!" Kyle cursed aloud as he hit the goblin under his feet with enough force to scatter its brain matter in all directions. He had been looking for tia for the past three hours, but there were no traces of hers or the route to reach her. He has been hunting beasts continuously so he could descend the floors, but thebyrinths were designed in such a manner that unless you don''t extinguish every being who survives on that floor, you won''t get the exit. And Kyle doesn''t have the time to clear all the floors to reach the bottom. "tia is in danger.." His heart has been drumming madly since earlier. Not being able to be near her when she was surrounded by dangers that she couldn''t handle was making him go crazy. ''Fuu...calm down and think.'' Kyle took several big breaths to rx his nerves. Losing himself to his impulse and panic would result in disaster. The matter of concern here was the person he couldn''t see to get harmed. And the only person who could help her was him. Logan wasn''t prepared enough to face those high-ranking beasts alone. He needs assistance or this world might lose its warrior today. And Kyle might lose his world. ''Should I just...'' For a moment Kyle wondered if he should call Aiden for help. He is the sole being who can rescue tia in no time. Nothing in thisbyrinth could threaten that monster. And when it was about tia''s safety Aiden wouldn''t even think twice beforeing here. However, there was a chance that tia would be taken away...given Kyle failed to perform his duty to protect her. ''No! What the hell am I even thinking?!'' Scolding himself he brought the ring Aiden gave to him. He was about to use it when suddenly he felt a tug on his waist. Frowning he looked down and found something was glowing from beneath his jacket. Kyle lifted his jacket and found his eyes stretching wide. The symbol of very...the one which connects Kyle with tia was glowing. This only happens when the master is in danger. Kyle instantly held the chains and closed his eyes. Yes, now he can locate her. Treading through the darkness, he could sense her presence. Beta was very helpful in prying through obstacles, and when he had a lead, the chains, that is, he couldn''t be mistaken about her whereabouts. The chains brought him to its other end, and a thin smirk danced across his lips. "Found you." ******** Sasha couldn''t tell what she had just seen. However, as real as the vomit sticking to her face was, this sudden arrival of the rescuer was also true. She saw it all..with her keen observation. This was her talent. Her hobby and her favourite pastime. To observe what others deem impossible to trace. She was able to gaze at the sudden appearance of a being who was wearing a strange and scary mask¡ªcleaving the demonic entity''s thick neck in a fluid movement and beheading the source of terror within moments of his arrival. The masked entity didn''t have an aura, and also his face and hair werepletely hidden, not giving any hint about his identity at all. The masked being looked around, his eyes lingering on tia and Logan longer than herself and Charlotte. He climbed down and called out, "Who is the Princess here?" His voice was very rough, almost like a beast''s. There was a high chance that someone from the Capital might have sent someone to always keep an eye on tia. And when she entered thebyrinth, he still was following her. That''s why he ended up here. Logan seemed wary as he remained silent. Sasha mutually decided to remain silent as well, unaware of what this masked entity wanted from tia. However, the person herself stupidly raised her hand, "M-Me..." e with me." "tia, no. He can''t be trusted." Logan stopped her by raising his hand. "R-Right. He can''t be trusted." Sasha supported him. Charlotte remained standing still with pain written over her face after getting attacked by the Oni. However, this sudden arrival didn''t allow anyone to take care of her. For a moment, Sasha noticed displeasure appearing in tia''s eyes, but the stranger''s voice pulled her attention away, "Then you alle. And make it quick!" His low growl made all her body hair strands erect as Sasha straightened herself up and stepped forward. Logan went to Charlotte, asking if she needed assistance but she shook her head and somehow got up. "Wait....we will take him." Like a wave, it hit Sasha cruelly once she followed Logan''s line of sight and remembered that they had lost one of theirrades just some moments ago. The lifeless body of Arony there, broken in two pieces. The masked man didn''t say anything but his stopped movements were enough for an answer for Logan to go and collect Aron''s dead body into his arms. Logan''s eyes turned red as he held Aron. Sasha drew closer to him and rested her hand on his shoulder. She wanted tofort him, but nothing came out of her mouth. This whole situation was just so....screwed up. Soon, the group of four began to follow the masked man when suddenly another presence approached them from behind. Sasha panicked since she was walking at the end. "Iing!" Logan shouted as he intended to put Aron''s body down and fight. From the shadows, the viscous demon with a single long horn on its cylindrical head emerged, its massive mace swinging violently from left to right, ready to swat the humans away. tia remained unfazed. She didn''t even nce back as she noticed the figure of the ''masked man'' fading away, and in the very next moment, a chilling wail of death echoed through the air. Sasha''s eyes widened in shock as she witnessed the once-standing masked man now floating behind the monstrous creature, with a massive chunk of the demon''s chest missing. The gaping wound inflicted by the masked man was fatal, bringing the demon to its knees before it copsed, lifeless, on the ground. "T-Teleportation...." Sasha muttered under her breath, couldn''t believe herself that she uttered such absurdity. Teleportation was a myth. No space-time magic exists in real life. But currently what the masked being showed was no physical prowess. There was no doubt about it. Transversing through a different dimension to attain this feat. This was...truly absurd. ******* A/N:- Another chapter and we will get done with this. Logan will get motivated a lot, and someone''s dark intentions will get revealed soon. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!